Health
HEALTH ADVISORY: PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AGAINST RESPIRATORY AND GASTROINTESTINAL INFECTIONS
Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands – Friday, 10 January 2025: The Ministry of Health and Human Services is issuing a public health advisory to raise awareness about the increasing prevalence of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections during this season, both locally and internationally. Seasonal increases in these infections are anticipated. The Ministry encourages the public to adopt preventative measures to protect themselves and others, particularly vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and individuals with underlying health conditions.
Respiratory infections, such as the common cold, influenza, COVID-19, and Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), are primarily transmitted through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, and shortness of breath.
The Ministry is closely monitoring the situation with Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory virus increasingly detected in some regions. While it often causes mild symptoms, it can lead to severe respiratory illness in children, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
To date, no cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) have been detected in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Ministry remains vigilant and continues to monitor the situation.
To minimise the risk of respiratory infections, the public is advised to:
- Practice Good Hygiene: Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap is unavailable.
- Avoid Close Contact with Sick Individuals: Maintain distance from people who are unwell to minimize exposure to respiratory droplets.
- Disinfect Frequently-Touched Surfaces: Regularly clean surfaces such as doorknobs, countertops, and mobile devices with disinfectant.
- Wear Masks: Use a mask in crowded or enclosed spaces, especially if experiencing respiratory symptoms.
- Cover Coughs and Sneezes: Use a tissue or your elbow to cover your mouth and nose. Dispose of tissues properly and wash hands immediately.
- Stay Home if Sick: Avoid public spaces to reduce the risk of spreading infections to others.
- Get Vaccinated: Ensure vaccinations, including the flu shot and COVID-19 booster, are up-to-date. These vaccines are available for free at Primary Health Care Clinics across the country.
Gastrointestinal infections, often caused by viruses, bacteria, or contaminated food and water, can result in symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and fever.
Preventative measures include:
- Practice Safe Food Handling: Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Cook meat to the recommended temperature and avoid consuming raw or undercooked foods.
- Drink Safe Water: Use bottled or boiled water if the safety of the water supply is uncertain.
- Wash Hands: Hand hygiene is critical after using the restroom and before eating or preparing food.
- Disinfect Surfaces: Regularly clean food preparation areas to prevent contamination.
- Stay Hydrated: If symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting occur, drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
If symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections are severe or persist beyond a few days, individuals should seek medical care immediately. Signs of concern include high fever, difficulty breathing, severe abdominal pain, or signs of dehydration such as dizziness, reduced urination, or extreme fatigue.
The Ministry of Health remains committed to safeguarding public health and is closely monitoring the local, regional, and international situation. The public will be kept informed of any significant updates. By following these guidelines, we can collectively reduce the burden of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections.
For more information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/.
February is National Self- Check Month and family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic, OH, John Hanicak, MD, highlights why at home self-checks are extremely important when it comes to not just early cancer detection but identifying other illnesses too and offers tips on what to look out for.
“Sometimes I look at them as sort of like your check engine light on the car, just like there would be a red flashing light that tells you that
there’s something wrong with a car and prompts you to bring that in and get serviced. Your body does the same thing. It gives you warning signs to look into that symptom a little bit further,” said Hanicak.
Dr. Hanicak said self-checks are going to be a little different for everyone.
However, in general, he recommends looking for anything that may seem abnormal, such as unexplained weight loss, blood in your urine, bumps and bruises that won’t heal, and changes in bowel habits.
For example, if you suddenly start going to the bathroom a lot more than you used to, that could be a sign of something more serious.
He also suggests doing regular skin checks and documenting any moles or spots that start to look different.
“Realize that you are your own person. There’s nobody else in the world exactly like you. You’ve got your own set of ideas, your own family history and your own genetics. Know what is normal for you, and when that changes, that’s the kind of thing that we would be interested in talking about,” said Dr. Hanicak.
Dr. Hanicak notes that self-checks are not meant to replace cancer screenings, as those are just as important to keep up with.
Press Release: Cleveland Clinic
December 4, 2025 – Hollywood legend Bruce Willis – arguably the most famous former home owner in Turks and Caicos Islands – is facing the most difficult role of his life and turning it into one last act of service.
Willis, 70, retired from acting in 2022 after his family revealed he had been diagnosed with aphasia. The following year, specialists
confirmed he is living with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a degenerative brain disease that attacks language, behaviour and personality.
In recent interviews and appearances, his wife Emma Heming Willis has said Bruce is “surrounded by love and care” and that the family is learning to find joy in new ways, even as the disease progresses.
Now, Heming Willis has gone further. In her 2025 memoir The Unexpected Journey, she writes that the family has decided Bruce’s brain will be donated to science after his death to advance research into FTD. That decision has been highlighted in recent coverage by futurist and science outlets, which describe it as a carefully considered step after months of watching a still-physically-strong man steadily lose speech, reading and independence.
Neurologists have long stressed how rare donated brain tissue is for FTD, and how essential it is to understanding which proteins, mutations and mechanisms are actually driving the disease. The Willis family’s choice means the brain that powered some of cinema’s most iconic characters could one day help researchers diagnose the condition earlier and design better treatments – even if it cannot help Bruce himself.
For Turks and Caicos, the story lands close to home. For nearly two decades Willis owned “The Residence” on exclusive Parrot Cay – a 7.3-acre, Asian-inspired beachfront compound with a five-bedroom main house, two guest villas and a yoga pavilion. He and Emma listed the estate in March 2019 for US$33 million; it sold a few months later for about US$27 million, one of the biggest residential deals in TCI history.
So, while Bruce Willis no longer has a physical address in Turks and Caicos, his connection to these islands remains part of his global story – a story now shifting from blockbuster fame to medical legacy, as his family turns private heartbreak into a public contribution that could change what we know about dementia.
Developed by Deandrea Hamilton • with ChatGPT (AI) • edited by Magnetic Media.
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
Turks and Caicos, September 6, 2025 – COVID-19 fears in the Turks and Caicos Islands that once had residents on edge are now giving way to a sense of relief. The Ministry of Health and Human Services reports a dramatic reversal: from dozens of new cases in July to zero cases and zero hospitalizations today.
Between August 17 and 23, 2025, officials confirmed no new cases, no hospitalizations, and no new deaths. Just two recoveries were recorded, bringing the national recovery tally to 6,866. The total confirmed cases since 2020 stand at 6,922, with deaths unchanged at 41. Health officials say August has been relatively quiet overall, with 19 new cases and recoveries recorded for the month — a fraction of what the islands faced just weeks earlier.
The contrast could not be sharper. The most concerning bulletin came in mid-July, when the Ministry reported 54 new cases in a single
week. Ten were fresh positives, while the other 44 came from a backlog of April samples. At that time, two new hospitalizations were recorded, and the islands mourned one additional COVID-related death, bringing the total to 41. It was a sobering reminder that the virus was still circulating, pushing recoveries to 6,845 and raising the cumulative case count to 6,910. The July spike stirred fear among residents and renewed calls for vigilance, as community spread and delayed lab results painted a worrying picture.
Fast forward to late August, and the numbers tell a very different story. Not only are new cases negligible, but the hospitals are reporting no COVID-19 patients at all. Officials say testing continues across a wide range of categories, and the Ministry urges the public to stay cautious: wash hands, wear masks in crowded spaces, protect the vulnerable, and get vaccinated. But the tone now is one of optimism.
Since the pandemic began in 2020, Turks and Caicos has recorded nearly 7,000 cases in total, with 6,866 recoveries and 41 deaths. The islands’ small population means every case has felt significant, and surges like July’s were especially unsettling. But today’s figures suggest the country has reached a new stage: COVID-19 is no longer the disruptive force it was. The Ministry credits continued public vigilance and the accessibility of free testing and vaccines at government clinics. While the numbers are cause for celebration, health leaders are careful not to declare the fight over. The Ministry’s latest bulletin reminds residents to maintain hygienic practices, follow self-isolation guidelines if infected, and ensure vaccinations are up to date.
The pandemic may not be entirely behind the Turks and Caicos, but compared to the frightening figures of July, the near-zero landscape of August offers a powerful sign of hope.
The Ministry released the bulletin on September 2, confirming that for the week of August 17–23, no new cases, hospitalizations, or deaths were recorded — a sharp contrast to the surge just weeks earlier.
