Six New Positive Covid-19 Cases Following Arrival of AA Flight From Miami

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) on Sunday recorded six new COVID-19 cases, following the receipt this evening, of PCR results from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), a release from the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) said.

According to the release, the results were reported following a two-step verification process which includes both the CARPHA Public Health Lab and the local Molecular Laboratory Unit.

The new positive cases are returning residents who arrived in SVG on the AA 945 flight on Saturday, July 11 with 155 passengers. These new positive cases will now commence a 14-day isolation period, the release said.

Sixty-nine other passengers who were in close contact on board the flight with the new positive cases, will be required to quarantine for 14 days. The other 149 passengers who arrived on the flight had negative results either having brought these results with them, or receiving negative results for COVID-19 PCR tests, done on arrival in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Some passengers, regardless of PCR result test have been assessed as being high risk for COVID-19 and will continue in mandatory quarantine for a period of 14 days. A second COVID-19 PCR test may be conducted on all contacts and other high risk passengers during the five to seven day period following arrival,” the release from NEMO said.

Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said during a call to We FM that two of the passengers who arrived on the American Airlines flight had tested positive for Covid-19.

While stating that most of the passengers have been following the order to remain in quarantine, the Prime Minister however made a strong appeal to those who were not.

He said he heard that on Saturday night, some of the persons who arrived on the flight went to Mangoz, a popular bar and restaurant on the Villa beach strip, and others went to church this morning.

“These are persons who came from the US who are under the specific quarantine,” Gonsalves said.

“I am just asking everyone coming in, listen to the Ministry of Health. The point is this….The authorities don’t want to take you before the court for you to be dealt with by the court if you are breaking the quarantine; disobeying the … medical officer of health or the chief medical officer. You have to abide by the quarantine, please!”

These latest results bring the number of Covid-19 cases recorded here to 35. Six of these cases are active as 29 people have recovered. One hundred and ten people are in quarantine and 1199 people have been tested to date.

In Sunday’s release, the Health Services Sub-Committee of NEMO urged all Vincentians to remain vigilant, comply with quarantine and isolation orders and all of the recommendations issued relative to COVID-19, including those for the conduct of mass gatherings. The public is reminded that persons are placed in quarantine for stipulated periods because of their ongoing risk of being COVID-19 positive, despite having a previous negative COVID-19 result.