The World Health Organization’s February 12 situation report on the Novel Coronavirus revealed there were now 45,171 confirmed cases of the virus, of which 44,730 were from China where there have been 1,114 deaths. The only other death outside China was recorded in the Philippines. A total of 441 cases has been confirmed from other countries, including Singapore (47), Thailand (33), Japan (28), Republic of Korea (28), Taiwan (18), Australia (15), Germany (14), United States of America (13), France (11) and the United Kingdom (8).
On February 3 the Government of Saint Lucia announced that non-nationals with a travel history from China within the last 14 days would not be allowed to enter the country. Returning nationals with a similar travel history face a 14-day quarantine. At a February 4 press briefing Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar-George told reporters that four Saint Lucians were quarantined at their homes. She noted that all were asymptomatic, doing well and were being monitored twice daily.
This week the CMO indicated that the four individuals continue to do well, and that they have not exhibited any signs or symptoms. The Department of Wellness, she said, continues to better its preparedness plans to manage possible threats. Concerning the travel ban, Belmar-George explained that it can expand to include other countries if this becomes necessary. “We are monitoring the numbers in the other regions and, based on the level of risk for that region,” she said, “a determination will be made. So the ban can include other countries based on how the numbers increase.”
On Tuesday the department announced that a non-national who arrived in Saint Lucia on Tuesday via private yacht had been placed under medical quarantine. The patient had respiratory symptoms. The department assured that established protocols were being followed and that the necessary assessments would be undertaken. In an update on Wednesday, the department indicated that a sample was taken from the patient and sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency in Trinidad and Tobago for testing. Later that evening, the CMO appeared on Timothy Poleon’s Newsmaker Live programme, and announced that the patient had tested negative for coronavirus.
The deadly virus also has implications for the tourism industry. On Tuesday Saint Lucia’s Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee explained that he expects the sector to be affected. Anything that discourages persons from travelling, he says, will have an impact on Saint Lucia and other destinations. “In the short-term, I think it’s going to have implications for the confidence of travellers and they may decide to stick to their safe-zones,” Fedee said.
“It is the hope of the entire travel community that this crisis is over sooner rather than later because it has implications for peoples’ confidence and people will feel nervous about going to foreign places during this time.”
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