National epidemiologist, Dr. Shallaudin Ahmed, announced on Wednesday that there are nine active COVID-19 infections and a total of 42 positive cases in Dominica. The ministry of health official revealed that there are clusters of transmission cases in the country at this stage, but that the pandemic will be totally eliminated with strict adherence to health protocols and community screening.
Dr. Ahmed disclosed that the last seven positive cases occurred in three communities of three different health districts. He said five of the seven cases are from one community and contacts of a noted positive case from one village in the community. The five were discovered after contact tracing and intensive community screening.
According to Ahmed, the health ministry has tested 45 people using PCR method and another 65 people using serological techniques – to make a total of 105 people.
“Out of forty-five PCR tests, only one turned out to be positive,” he said. “However, this individual was a contact of one of the earlier positive cases. All sixty serology tests results are negative for antibodies.” The national epidemiologist further stated that in addition to community screening, another 112 contacts were identified via contract tracing and that 69 of them tested while only four turned out positive for coronavirus. The test results of the remaining 43 contacts are still pending and will be announced in due course. He urged Dominicans to continue to adhere to safety and health guidelines and to subject themselves to government scrutiny when called upon to do so.
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