St Lucia is now COVID-19 free
All 15 cases of the tiny Caribbean island have recovered
St Lucia is the only country in the world to become free of COVID-19 without any recorded deaths.
St Lucia’s Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday, April 22, the recovery of all its 15 COVID-19 patients. Meanwhile, the two cases in isolation have tested negative of the novel coronavirus.
The infected individuals were mostly elderly and those who have a prior health condition. No complications nor critical care rattled the Caribbean country’s healthcare institutions.
St Lucia confirmed its first case on March 13, 2020. It was just a day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
The patient is a 63-year-old woman with a travel history from the United Kingdom. The following day, March 14, St Lucia’s second case was reported. Both of them were repatriated to the United Kingdom March 24 and 25.
St Lucia keeps its guard up
To the country’s Ministry of Health, declaring victory at this point would be too soon.
“The public must note that many of the measures need to be sustained in an effort to achieve low COVID-19 levels in country,” the ministry reminded.
This include the standard precautionary measures of the frequent washing of hands, social distancing, the use of masks and gloves in supermarkets, and the closure of schools, parks, and other public venues.
St Lucia will still impose the partial shutdown and the 10-hour curfew of 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. that were implemented last April 5.
Laboratory testing for COVID-19 will still be ongoing. St Lucia has modified its testing strategy by testing an increased number of samples from community respiratory clinics.
“When measures are relaxed and persons become more socially engaged this provides an opportunity for smaller epidemic waves which are characterized by low level transmission,” St Lucia’s Health Ministry said. “The threat of COVID-19 still exists and will continue to be with us for a while.”
Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic remains to be the most inflicted Caribbean nation, with 5044 cases of the novel coronavirus. It has recorded 245 deaths and 463 recoveries.