The COVID-19 pandemic in Barbados is part of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic of coronavirus
disease 2019 (COVID-19).[3] The outbreak was identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December
2019,[4] declared to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January
2020,[5] and recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March
2020.[6] COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus
2 (SARS-CoV-2).[7] The case fatality rate for COVID-19 has been much lower than for other
coronavirus respiratory infections such as SARS and MERS, but the transmission has been
significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[8][9]
The pandemic was confirmed to have reached Barbados on 17 March 2020 with the announcement
of the first two cases,[1] and at its current peak on 12 April there were 56 active cases.[10] The
government declared a public health emergency (due to end on 30 June) and the country is currently
under an overnight curfew from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am (due to end after 17 May): many businesses are
closed and many of the businesses that are allowed to open are subject to a surname-based
schedule.[11][12][13]