Saint Lucia records 3 more cases of COVID-19; number of active cases now at 49

Statement by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar-George:

Today, Thursday October 29, 2020 the Ministry of Health received confirmation of three new cases of COVID-19. This brings the national number of cases diagnosed to date in country to 76. There are now 49 active cases isolated and in care.

Case #74 is a 65 year old male from the Gros-Islet district
Case #75 is a 27 year old female from the Castries district
Case #76 is a 25 year old female from the Castries district

All cases, following testing for COVID-19, were placed in quarantine while awaiting their results. Cases #75 and #76 are contacts of previously confirmed cases. Further investigations are currently ongoing. As per protocol, arrangements have been made for their transfer into care at the Respiratory Hospital.

With the growing number of cases, the Ministry of Health’s public health team has been noting a high level of concern and even fear amongst the public. This has in some instances resulted in individuals who have been diagnosed with the virus being stigmatized. This stigma can be very discouraging and cause great stress to people who are infected with the virus as well as their circle of family, friends, colleagues and wider community in which they reside. If not addressed from now, the Ministry of Health anticipates that this stigma can become a barrier to individuals who require testing coming forward to do so. We ask everyone to be supportive of each other.

The COVID-19 virus can be contracted by anyone of any age, gender, or social status. So let’s look out not only for ourselves, but each other. Encourage one another to stick to the guidelines that have been put in place to keep us all safe:

-wash and sanitize hands often throughout the day
-always wear a mask while in public
-maintain a separation of six feet from others while in public, which is about two arm’s length apart
-seek medical care if experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, short of breath, sore throat

By so doing, we can all, together, overcome this virus.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness will continue providing updates as new information becomes available. For more information please contact the Office of the Chief Medical Officer or the Epidemiology Unit, at 468-5309/468-5317 respectively.