Saint Lucia records 6 new cases of COVID-19

Saint Lucia records #43, #44, #45, #46, #47 and #48 of COVID-19

Today, Friday October 23, 2020 the Ministry of Health and Wellness received confirmation of six new confirmed cases of COVID-19. This brings the total number of cases diagnosed to date in country to forty-eight.

Case number 43 is a close contact of case number 39. Cases 43 to 48 all reside in the same household in the Castries district. This brings the total number of active confirmed cases currently isolated in care to 21.

Case number 43 is a 40 year old male
Case number 44 is a 38 year old female
Case number 45 is a 3 year old female
Case number 46 is a 12 year old female
Case number 47 is a 4 year old male
Case number 48 is a 47 year old female from the Gros-Islet district

This is the single highest number of cases diagnosed within one day. As the Ministry of Health and Wellness continues its response to cases, it is important to state that with the increasing number of cases that each individual recognizes they have the ability to reduce the spread of this virus. By keeping to the infection prevention and control guidelines the spread of virus from one person to another can be stopped. The Ministry of Health makes a strong appeal to everyone that if you are experiencing respiratory symptoms which include cough, sore throat, fever, please promptly seek care at the closest respiratory clinic. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should not be in the workplace, participating in social activities or in public places like banks, supermarkets or stores.

The Ministry of Health takes this opportunity to remind everyone that it is important to:

• ensure a mask is always worn while in public
• maintain the six foot physical distance from the next person which is about a distance of two arm’s length
• follow the floor markers in public spaces where they are available.
• Wash and sanitize hands often throughout the day
• cover your sneeze and cough with a tissue or your inner elbow when tissue is not available

The Ministry of Health and Wellness will continue providing regular updates as new information becomes available.

For more information please contact the Office of the Chief Medical Officer or the Epidemiology Unit, at 468-5309/468-5317 respectively