Coronavirus: Public Health Ministry says 31 persons in quarantine

The Ministry of Public Health has a total of 31 persons under institutional quarantine following the arrival of 17 persons from Barbados on Wednesday night.

The 14 adults and three children returned home from Barbados after pleading with the national task force set up to deal with COVID-19 to allow a chartered flight to land at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport. They have been taken to a quarantine facility where they are mandated to stay for 14 days.

During her daily brief on Thursday at the Ministry’s Brickdam office, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence noted that there are 135 persons quarantined in their homes.

She said the Government has capacity at four facilities to accommodate 350 persons if the need arises.

She said there are no new cases and the four persons who tested positive remains in isolation. According to the Minister, 21 additional persons were tested and all have shown negative results.

The Minister promised that psychosocial support will be provided by the Psychosocial Unit with support from the Ministry of Social Protection to all persons in quarantine/isolation.

She explained that after the 14 days of quarantine, persons will be evaluated by a medical officer and based on a review, they will be cleared or placed on additional days of quarantine. If cleared they will be reevaluated after seven days.

For those persons in isolation, they will be held for 14 days after which if no new symptoms develop within three days prior to the 15 day, they will be tested twice in 24 hours; if negative, will be cleared. But those with positive results will remain in further isolation.

She noted that 696 calls were received by the hotline set up by the Ministry from Regions 2,3,4,5,6, & 10.

The Minister of Public Health said it welcomes any recommendations or suggestions from the general public as we all seek to stop the spread of the Coronavirus Disease.

he further appealed to persons who think that they may have symptoms of the Coronavirus Disease to call the hotline or their physician.