by Linda Straker
- Recent Grenadian samples sent to CARPHA lab are negative
- More swabs sent for testing
- Travel restriction list for Grenada will as of 18 March, include all of Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland
Minister for Health, Nickolas Steele, has confirmed that all the recent Grenadian samples sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) lab for Covid-19 testing are negative. “We received them today and all of them are negative,” he confirmed.
On the weekend, health officials through contact tracing identified several persons who were possibly exposed to a Covid-19 person who was recently in Grenada and stayed at a hotel. That person, a United Kingdom citizen, travelled on to St Lucia where she became ill. She was tested and became the first patient in St Lucia.
A batch of 8 swabs which also persons in addition to those traced to the UK citizen, was sent for testing on Monday.
Steele said that health officials are in the processing of sending other kits to CARPHA for testing. “Some of these are for people who had a recent travel history to hotspots and were possibly exposed to Covid-19,” he said.
To date, Grenada has no positive confirmation.
As part of its preparedness measures, Grenada has implemented a number of measures including quarantining each person who arrives on the island.
The travel restriction list for Grenada will as of 18 March, include all of Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Europe is now seen as the epicentre for the Covid-19. The other countries on the travel restriction list are China, Iran and South Korea.
Grenada will refuse the entry of passengers from all countries on its travel restriction list. The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation will be working out a schedule with the airline for repatriation of visitors presently on the island.
The ports in Grenada are also closed to all cruise ships and yachts until further notice with the exception of Port Louis, Grenada and Tyrell Bay in Carriacou.
All arriving passengers who are approved by an immigration officer will go through a mandatory period of self-quarantine for 14 days.
All schools are closed, and visits to elderly homes and the prison are restricted. Social distancing is becoming the new normal.
Close the border for at least 30 days and only allow essentials to enter on a monitored basis. And People stop blaming the government. Stay positive and offer support in this crisis by doing your part. Well done by the Ministry of Health and staff
All your news articles seem to contain grammar and punctuation errors. I cannot take your reporting seriously.
If the government of Trinidad and Tobago think like your minister we would of been in a better position today but no we to darn slack over here from captain 2 crook we think this thing 4 a Joke…..can any1 tell me why we didn’t cancel our carnival..waste of time
GREAT Florence.
The horse is out of the barn and they are ready to close the gate. The Chinese are there already it’s a matter of time…..Send them BACK…..and bring Home The nationals.
GRENADA NEEDS TO HOLD A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVING, AT A SET TIME, SO ALL THE PEOPLE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THEIR HOMES.
Good job minister of health and mr. Primeminister of Grenada in making the right move in other to keep our citizens safe. I want to see the United States of America on the restriction list as well. Another thing that is bordering as far as research have shown, those Chinese people are the ones who invented the carona virus desease that’s man made virus, these people are very dongerous people they go about as snake under grass and dont stop until they get what they want. Get them out of Grenada before its to late, stop accepting help and bribes from China. Do you all research, what sweet in goat mouth does get sour in he ass.
Great to see the measures out in place by government.
But let’s not get complacent. It may just be too early to tell.
The USA needs to be on the restricted travel list also.
ABSOLUTELY!
Bless God. God is so good to all of us.