Reports reaching our newsroom have confirmed a possible case of Coronavirus in the BVI. According to a voice note circulating, a BVIslander is currently being quarantined by local health officials after returning from Hong Kong and China with suspicious signs of the virus.
It is alleged that the person in question felt sick but was reluctant to seek medical attention until now.
284 Media reached out to National Epidemiologist Harmony Brewley-Massiah who said “We cannot confirm nor deny the allegation at this point but an official statement is forthcoming”.
The deadly virus, which was first identified in Wuhan city of the Hubei province of China, has infected at least 81,109 people globally, around 78,191 of whom are in China, with at least 2,718 deaths reported in the country, according to a February 26 report by the World Health Organization (WHO). There have been around 2,800 deaths from the virus reported across nearly 47 countries, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.
Just yesterday, cruise ship M/V Costa Favolosa was refused entry into the BVI. That decision was made by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and other senior health officials. It was reported that a number of passengers had flown directly from Italy and had joined the ship in Guadeloupe within the last six days. This period is within the 14-day incubation period of COVID-19. It was also reported that 5 passengers had fallen ill with 3 testing positive for the Influenza A Virus, and are isolated on board the ship. It was determined that the ship was unable to conduct the test for the presence or absence of COVID-19.
In light of the risks posed, residents across the territory were relieved that Government saw it fit to turn away the cruise ship in due diligence.
More details to follow on today’s LIVE newscast at 3pm.