By Erasmus Williams
Basseterre, St Kitts, March 2, 2020 – Hours after a Facebook posting that a Kittitian who recently arrived from Japan and was told to “stay at home for two weeks,” the government of St Kitts and Nevis has admitted there are three persons who are quarantined in their homes.
At a press conference on Monday, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Hazel Laws also disclosed that persons are also confined to tourist facilities and four dozen are being monitored daily. “A total of sixty-three incoming air travellers have already been screened by the health desk at the R L Bradshaw International Airport. with the following outcomes. Three asymptomatic persons have been quarantined at home, six asymptomatic persons have been quarantined at tourist facilities and fifty persons are being monitored daily by the public health team” said Dr Laws.
She admitted that thermal scanning is not taking place at the Robert L Bradshaw International Airport “because based on the latest evidence or science, the use of thermal scanning or temperature guns is not an effective way to detect COVID-19 cases.”
She said two incoming air travellers consented to be tested for the COVID-19 virus because they were coming from countries with local transmission of this disease. These individuals tested negative for COVID-19.
Incoming travellers from a territory that is not deemed a hotspot, may not interact with the health desk.
On Sunday, a citizen in a FaceBook posting said that about 20 countries have restrictions on anyone who has been to Italy in the last few weeks and expressed a concern that St Kitts and Nevis continues to do nothing regarding Italy.
“We have recent arrivals in St Kitts and Nevis from this region,” posted Peter Chevozerov.
On Saturday, local businesswoman, Teshari Liburd arrived at the Robert L Bradshaw International Airport from Trinidad and pointed out that there was “no real evidence of the robust screening that was mentioned in the (Prime Minister’s) press conference.”