BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Wednesday 22nd April 2020)– Nearly one month since the Federation of St.Kitts-Nevis recorded its first two cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19), one of out the15 patients has reportedly beaten the illness but there is no further details about this individual as the authorities have stopped sharing certain particulars.
At the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) COVID-19 Daily Briefing held on Tuesday 21st April 2020, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws who although shared such “good news”, said positive cases will continue to increase.
“This afternoon, I have good news. We have one confirmed case who has recovered with zero deaths to date.”
At that time of her remarked it was recorded that 257 samples were tested with the 15 cases positive, 230 confirmed negative and 12 results pending.
Additionally, 1 person quarantined at a government facility with 64 quarantined at home as the 14 positive cases in isolation.
“I want to remind us that we are still in the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak here in the Federation of St.Kitts and Nevis. Please note that our numbers will continue to increase with the numbers of continued cases reaching a peak. Subsequently, these numbers will then decrease. However, based on the evidence, this decrease will take place at a much slower rate,” Dr. Laws commented.
She said the Ministry of Health continues to “carefully find the balance between maintaining a sustainable suppression of transmission of the virus whilst ensuring resumption of some of some economic and social life.”
Seven days before- at a briefing held on 15th April- Medical Chief of Staff talked about the policy of waiting 14 days and conducting two negative results before a patient is deemed fully recovered.
“… our policy is to wait until fourteen (14) days after you have no symptoms and retest you and see if you get two negative tests. We have not proclaimed that anybody has recovered as yet even though they are all doing well.”
He also explained that going forward information regarding patients’ age, race and gender would not be publicised “because First and foremost we have to think about persons’ confidentiality, and we live in a small community.”
He had also pointed out that “Here, in this very small environment that we live, people know persons and so when you give a significant amount of information as it relates to the race, the age, the gender, persons have been tracking down persons and doing some of the worst things that you’d not expect people to be doing in an epidemic like this; putting persons pictures’ on Facebook etc.”
See below a breakdown of the cases announced during the early stages of the COVID-19 which saw a distribution of 11 cases in St.Kitts and 4 in Nevis when the count stood at 15 confirmed patients
At 11:03 PM on 24th March: a 57-year-old female and a 21-year old male with recent travel history to New York were reportedly recorded be the first coronavirus cases.
On 28th March, five (5) cases recorded: three (3) females are aged 10 months, 24 years and 36 years and two (2) males ages 29 and 39 years; all citizens of St.Kitts and Nevis.
On 30th March 30: an eight case of 51 year-old female St. Kitts and Nevis citizen; resident on Nevis.
On 2nd April: a ninth case- 51-year-old female from St. Kitts and Nevis; resident on Nevis
On 4th April: 10th case- 66- year-old female St. Kitts and Nevis citizen; resident on Nevis
On 6th April: 11th case- 35-year-male St. Kitts and Nevis citizen; resident on Nevis
On 10th April: 12th case 21-year-old male of Indian descent; resident on St.Kitts
On 14th April: Two (2) cases on St.Kitts
On 19th April: 15th case on St.Kitts