by Linda Straker
- Grenada’s last confirmed case was on 10 April 2020
- Index patient infected 5 other persons in her household
- 92 samples tested to date
Health Minister Nickolas Steele said that 6 of Grenada’s 13 confirmed Covid-19 cases were declared recovered on Thursday, as samples from them have tested negative for the coronavirus that is responsible for the contagion.
Steele made the announcement to parliamentarians during a special sitting of the House of Representatives on Friday. Grenada’s last confirmed case was on 10 April 2020. “Yesterday we tested 11 more individuals or received results for 11. All 11 were negative,” he said. “6 of them were individuals who previously tested positive. So we can most definitely declare that of the 14 individuals who tested positive in the State of Grenada, 6 of them have officially recovered,” he added.
The Health Minister did not say who the 6 were, however, it is documented that Grenada’s index patient who was a passenger from the UK had infected 5 other persons in her household. The 50-year-old female arrived in Grenada from the United Kingdom on board a Virgin Atlantic flight which landed at Maurice Bishop International Airport on 16 March 2020. She was confirmed within days of arrival.
Dr Francis Martin, Acting Chief Medical Officer, explained that 5 new samples were people who showed signs of symptoms of Covid-19. Grenada which recently was approved to conduct on-island testing, has tested almost 100 samples.
| Grenada Covid-19 Status Update – 16 April 2020 | |
| Number of Covid-19 cases | 14* |
| Number of Covid-19 deaths | 0 |
| Number of tests conducted | 92 |
| Number of Covid-19 cases hospitalised | 4 |
| Number recovered | 6 |
| Total active cases | 7 |
*The total number of confirmed cases for Grenada is 14, but only 13 are on the island because one of the cases left the island and returned to the United Kingdom – his place of residence – without medical approval.
Members of the House were at the time debating a stimulus package to assist with payroll for the private sector, along with other initiatives aimed at sustaining the economy as Grenada and the rest of the world explore initiatives to cushion the effects of Covid-19.
Tobias Clement, newly appointed Leader of the Opposition told the House that Grenada’s good news for combating the spread of the virus in the country should not ease because Covid-19 only needs one person to re-emerge as a threat. “As long as there is a case of Covid-19 anywhere, it’s everywhere,” Clement said as he used the example of the 1918 Spanish Flu which affected the world in 3 waves.
Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell, also warned that all negative cases will have to go through a process to confirm full recovery because there is evidence in other parts of the world where people who are tested negative were confirmed as positive following a re-testing of samples.
Thank you the right Honorable Dr Mitchell and your cabinet members for acting in a timely manner and also the people who answered the call to stay at home and very patient but that’s the only way we would have survive this virus . So kudos to everyone on our beautiful island there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it’s coming soon .
Great job Dr. Mitchell for being pro active which helps to contain the spread of this beast covid-19…great job my brothers n sisters for obeying directives that was given GOD BLESS . Stay safe you all #473
We have to keep our eyes on the Chinese they are racist.
It’s a disgrace the way they were treating blacks in their country.
I agree with Kathleen statement…watch those chinise people we have a whole bunch in trinidad and I think we should boy cut they them stores and grocery for treating those people like garbage….any way good Job my spice island…
FANTASTIC JOB BY OUR GOVERNING BODY WITH THE CORPORATION OF MY FELLOW CITIZENS… THANK YOU Dr. MITCHELL, OUR HONOURABLE PRIME MINISTER. GOD BLESS YOU SIR AND GOD BLESS GRENADA.
I think Dr. Keith Mitchell should watch those Chenese that are coming to Grenada, because they doing crazy things in their lab to wipe out human, and that virus is not from God, and is man made, that’s why America and other countries have more deaths than others, because they trying to get rid of black people, and it backfired, because jesus is near and see the plot. God saved those small islands from many deaths. Wake up Dr. Keith and smell the coffee. God bless you, and keep up the bon travailled. Au revoir. By Kathleen Walcott.
Well done my Grenadian brothers and sisters your discipline and co-operation has kept us preserved from a possible desperate situation.