Care for recent gun violence victims cost KEMH $250,000

More than $250,000 was spent on health care for victims of gun violence, according to the Bermuda Hospitals Board. Between January and December 2009, 17 gunshot victims were treated in the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Emergency Room at an average cost of $2,446.76.

Nine of these victims were also admitted to the hospital for an average stay of 4.1 days and an average cost of $19,853. These costs would have been covered by the victim's insurance — if they had it — and the hospital's subsidies, a financial aid provided by the Government to ensure coverage for the indigent, aged, youth and geriatric.

A BHB spokesperson stressed that the $250,000 only covered any care provide by KEMH and not further rehabilitation or outpatient services required. A BHB spokeswoman said: "The violence in the community does have an impact on costs if the injured parties are in the one of the subsidised groups. This totals to an overall cost of about $250,000, just for gunshot wound victims for emergency and inpatient care. It does not include outpatient services such as wound care and rehabilitation."

Three homes hit by burglars on Wednesday

Police responded to three burglaries on Wednesday when cash, jewellery and electronic items were stolen.

In the first, Police received a report that jewellery and a quantity of cash had been stolen from a Berkeley Road, Pembroke residence and a Prospero Lane, Smith's parish residence.

In the last incident, Police received a report of a burglary where a black 48" Toshiba flat screen TV, a Sony PlayStation 3 video game system, an Apple iPod Nano and personal items were stolen from a Barrack Hill, St. George's residence.