Deputy COP, others test positive for Covid, COP in quarantine

On Thursday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph joined five other police officers in isolation after he tested positive for COVID-19.

Deputy Commissioner Joseph’s positive test has resulted in other members of the high command of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), including Commissioner of Police (COP) Colin John, being ordered into mandatory quarantine.

They are now working from home.

The results of Covid-19 tests of several other lawmen are pending and contact tracing has started for persons who may have come in contact with the six positive cases.

The news of the positive cases in the police force came on the heels of five members of staff of the Ministry of Health, including Minister of Health St Clair Prince, Permanent Secretary Cuthbert Knights and Chief Medical Officer Dr Simone Keizer-Beache being asked to undergo five days quarantine after having been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person last week.

On Thursday, Commissioner John said the officers were in good spirits despite the positive tests. He said other officers are being tested.
Some of the officers who tested

positive had been assigned to Port Authority duties while the others were attached to the Rapid Response Unit (RRU).

“The virus has yet had no serious effects on the officers and we are trying to find everyone who they may have come in contact with,” COP John said.

He added that the RSVGPF has measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and is asking persons to do their part in fighting the virus.

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 Janaury 6, 2021 said.

As at Wednesday, January 6, St Vincent and the Grenadines had 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.