A 33-year-old female New York returnee has tested positive to COVID-19 and promptly quarantined, said the Minister of Health, Dr. Irving McIntyre. The unnamed woman arrived at the Douglas Charles Airport on August 26 and made to undergo coronavirus testing since she was coming from a high-risk country.
She was first swabbed and isolated in Portsmouth to await test results, and on testing positive on August 28 was immediately moved to a COVID treatment facility.
The traveller was assessed and swabbed at the secondary screening site at Douglas Charles Airport and according to high-risk protocols, this traveller was immediately transferred to mandatory quarantine at Portsmouth. The results came in yesterday and the patient was transferred to COVID facility at the Princess Margaret Hospital.
Dr. Irving McIntyre: Minister of Health
This latest case brings the total number of active COVID-19 cases in the country since the borders were reopened to three; and a total number of 21 since the pandemic broke out in May. And to be sure that the country is not witnessing a second wave of the pandemic, McIntyre said the first patient to contract the disease in Dominica will be re-tested again to be sure that he does not have the infection and reinfecting others again.
He said the Ministry of Health will continue to enforce all preventive measures and implement other protocols to protect everyone in the country. He cautioned everyone to continue washing their hands, covering their noses and mouth, and maintaining physical distancings.
Senior health environmental officer, Ray Robinson, also tasked everyone to tackle the pandemic head-on, adding health and environment officials continue to man the ports of entry to be certain no new cases are imported into the country.
We are facing a global health crisis unlike any we have ever experienced in Dominica and probably the world. …one that is spreading human suffering, affecting the global economy and creating a phenomenon known as the ‘new normal’. We have no choice but to face this beast head on.
Ray Robinson: Senior health environmental officer
This article is copyright © 2020 DOM767
