The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment says it has been advised that the Cabinet gave approval yesterday for an extension of the quarantine requirement to include all regions of Italy in view of the COVID-19 outbreak in that country. Travelers from Italy, China, Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea will therefore be quarantined for 14 days.
The Ministry has also advised that there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 in St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Caribbean region. It said during the period February 7th to 27th, a total of 20 persons were quarantined. To date 17 persons have completed the 14-day period, including 3 persons who tested negative for COVID-19 after two of them were noted to have low grade fevers. Three persons remain quarantined having traveled from Japan and Italy.
The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment has expressed gratitude to the general public, its partner stakeholders and our visitors for their support, as it works to safeguard the health of the nation. And, it again advised the public to take the necessary precautions, to avoid the spread of respiratory illnesses:
These include washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; 2. Covering nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing; 3. Coughing and sneezing into the crook of the elbow if no tissue is available; 4. Avoiding close contact with people who have flu-like symptoms 5. and avoid going to school or work when you have the flu.
