Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 4, 2020 (SKNIS): Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Hazel Laws, said the health sector and key national stakeholders in St. Kitts and Nevis stand ready to identify, isolate and manage any suspected case of the Novel Coronavirus.
Dr. Laws was at the time speaking at a press conference on Monday, February 3, at Government Headquarters, to sensitise the general public on what the World Health Organisation has deemed a global health emergency with respect to the Novel Coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China.
The CMO outlined some proactive measures that the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is employing to mitigate against the global health threat, which ranges from very high in China and other Asian countries Asia to high in other countries worldwide.
Dr. Laws said that “the National St. Kitts and Nevis International Health Regulations Committee within the Federal Office of our Ministry of Health, continues to monitor this outbreak closely, hour by hour, minute by minute.”
Furthermore, the CMO said that “the health desk at the R.L Bradshaw International Airport is covered by nurses and our environmental health officers.”
Dr. Laws highlighted that another proactive approach put in place is the travel advisory which was issued by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis that was announced on Saturday, February the 1st.
She said that “the travel advisory speaks to citizens and residents being advised to restrict travel to China until the World Health Organisation gives the all-clear in relation to the Novel Coronavirus.”
Additionally, she advised persons who plan to travel to China to postpone their trip and “persons travelling from China or who travelled to another country from China, en route to the Federation within the last 14 day window period, we are asking you to remain where you are and not to travel to the Federation.”
The CMO also highlighted that “persons who travel to St. Kitts and Nevis from China at this time, shall be subjected to screening at our ports of entry and may if necessary, have their movements restricted.”