(Iwnsvg.com) – St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on Wednesday, recorded its second confirmed case of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health said in a press release Wednesday afternoon, which it subsequently recalled, saying it would send a replacement soon.
However, the ministry later confirmed the initial press statement, adding that it will provide additional information in a subsequent release.
The ministry said that the second case of COVID-19 was also imported.
The ministry said the additional positive result was returned from the most recent batch of samples that was sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) lab for testing.
“The sample which tested positive was taken from a female patient who had travelled to SVG from the United States of America on March 25, 2020. The patient (and all the other passengers on her flight) was in mandatory quarantine from the time of her arrival in SVG. She reported symptoms on March 28, when a sample was taken for COVID-19. The Vincentian national was maintained in isolation since that period,” the statement said.
CARPHA reported the laboratory test confirming a positive result at approximately 12:34 p.m. Wednesday.
“The patient has already been told of her test result, and the process of informing other contacts has commenced. Public health measures will continue with the identification of additional contacts and the implementation of additional quarantine where necessary,” the ministry said.
As of March 31 SVG had sent samples for 44 persons for testing.
There have been two positive results, the first being a woman in her 30s who tested positive on March 11 after returning from the United Kingdom four days earlier.
The woman who first tested positive has since recovered from the illness, the ministry said.
CARPHA rejected samples for four persons because they did not satisfy the testing criteria for COVID-19, the ministry said, adding that all the other results were reported as negative.
“The public is reminded to continue to practice the basic but highly effective public health measures of hand hygiene, cough etiquette, physical distancing and strict adherence to quarantine to keep us all safe from COVID-19. The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will continue to keep the public informed as we manage this public health challenge together,” the ministry said.