Sixteen new Covid-19 cases confirmed – eleven local, five imported

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) on Wednesday confirmed 16 new COVID-19 cases. Five of the cases were recorded in non-national adult travelers while the other 11 cases are adult Vincentians who do not have a travel history.

A release from the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) said the five non-national adult travelers arrived from the USA and the United Kingdom between December 26 and January 3 with negative PCR tests. Subsequent testing during the quarantine period revealed positive PCR results. These travelers remain isolated until cleared by two negative results.

The other cases are eleven adult Vincentians without a recent travel history have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of local cases to 28.

“Ten (10) [of the local cases] can be linked to the previously identified positive cases. The eleventh (11th) is being investigated. Contact tracing, linking and testing related to all of these local cases are ongoing,” the release from NEMO said.

Persons with flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, fever and cough are asked to go to the district Flu Clinics for testing and care. The Flu Clinics in the nine health districts are:

1. Kingstown Health District – Kingstown Health Centre
2. Pembroke Health District – Buccament Polyclinic, Layou Health Centre,
3. Chateaubelair (North Leeward) Health District – Coull’s Hill Health Centre, Chateaubelair SMART Hospital
4. Marriaqua Health District – Levi Latham Health Complex, Evesham Health Centre, Lowmans Windward Health Centre
5. Calliaqua Health District – Stubbs Polyclinic, Belair Health Centre
6. Cedars Health District – Biabou Health Centre, South Rivers Health Centre
7. Georgetown (North Windward) Health District – Georgetown SMART Hospital, Sandy Bay Health Centre, Owia Health Center, Fancy Health Centre
8. Northern Grenadines Health District – Port Elizabeth Hospital
9. Southern Grenadines Health District – Celena Clouden Hospital, Myreau Health Centre, Canouan Health Centre.

“Persons and their companions seeking care at any health care facility must wear  facial coverings. Patients are advised that they will be screened for COVID-19.

“The public is strongly urged to continue to wear facial coverings, sanitize their hands regularly and maintain physical distancing when possible,” the NEMO release dated Jnaury 6, 2021 said.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has now recorded 149 cases of COVID-19. One hundred persons have recovered and 49 remain active. All positive cases will continue to be isolated until cleared by two negative tests.