St. Vincent and the Grenadines today confirmed six (6) new COVID-19 cases. An adult non-national traveler arrived from the United Kingdom on December 26 with a negative PCR test result and tested positive on arrival screening. The traveller was in mandatory quarantine at the time of receipt of the result and will be isolated untilcleared by two negative tests. On Sunday December 27, the COVID-19 Taskforce was contacted by an adultVincentian with symptoms typical of COVID-19. Testing on Monday December 28 confirmed that adult as positive. Subsequent contact tracing and testing have revealed 87 contacts and four (4) additional positive…
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The public is advised that today (Wednesday, December 30, 2020), the Cabinet of Ministers, on the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer, has directed that the Union Island Sea Port be closed to pleasure vessels (yachts, pirogues and similar vessels) as a port of entry with immediate effect, until further notice. These vessels are being redirected for entry clearance to the three (3) ports on the mainland, St. Vincent, namely, Kingstown, Blue Lagoon and Wallilabou, in accordance with the existing protocols of entry. Please be further advised that only cargo vessels would be allowed to continue clearing in Union Island.…
The public is advised that today (Wednesday, December 30, 2020), the Cabinet of Ministers, on the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer, has directed that the Union Island Sea Port be closed to pleasure vessels (yachts, pirogues and similar vessels) as a port of entry with immediate effect, until further notice. These vessels are being redirected for entry clearance to the three (3) ports on the mainland, St. Vincent, namely, Kingstown, Blue Lagoon and Wallilabou, in accordance with the existing protocols of entry. Please be further advised that only cargo vessels would be allowed to continue clearing in Union Island.…
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States is expected to approve the low-cost AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine in April, a senior official said, more than three months after Britain’s green light on Wednesday. Moncef Slaoui, the chief advisor to Operation Warp Speed, the military-led US effort for vaccines, told reporters that US trials and assessments would be complete for approval “sometime in early April”. “Several tens of millions of doses will have been manufactured… and therefore will be available for use if the data supports its approval,” he said. He did not allege that Britain rushed its decision and praised Britain’s…
CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC)— The Government of Brazil has donated 6,000 COVID-19 test kits to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), in a bid to help countries in the sub-region in the fight against the pandemic. When COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March 2020, the OECS embarked on a rigorous response to mitigate its effects on member states and this response included renewed partnerships with development agencies, a new partnership with the private sector, and support from bi-lateral friends. Earlier this month, the government of Brazil donated US $100,000 to the OECS in support of their response…
Louisiana Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, who died while battling COVID-19, suffered a heart attack following a procedure, a hospital official said. The 41-year-old was receiving treatment in the intensive care unit at Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport when he died Tuesday, the Monroe News-Star reported. LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor G.E. Ghali confirmed Letlow underwent an operation related to the virus and later went into cardiac arrest. “It’s devastating to our entire team,” Ghali told the paper, adding that he “had no underlying conditions.” The Republican had first announced that he tested positive for the virus Dec. 18 and said he was…
TORONTO, Canada (AP) — The Canadian government said Wednesday that passengers must have a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days before they arrive in the country. Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the measure will be implemented in the next few days. Canada already requires those entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days. The decision came a day after the premier of Canada’s largest province said he had ordered his finance minister to end a Caribbean vacation, saying he is “extremely disappointed” the official went abroad at a time the government is urging people to avoid nonessential travel…
The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has raised the La Soufriere Volcano Hazard Alert Level to orange due to an effusive eruption at the volcano. According to Professor Richard Robertson of the Seismic Research Centre, University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus, there was an effusive eruption at the La Soufriere Volcano, which means that magma is coming out of the volcano quietly. Professor Robertson also stated that a new dome is also growing nearby. The Orange Alert level means that highly elevated level of seismicity or fumarolic activity or both or other highly unusual activities are…
The contagious new COVID-19 mutation from the UK has officially made it to the United States, Colorado health officials said Tuesday. The COVID-19 variant that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned could be 70 percent more transmissible was identified in an Elbert County man in his 20s, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. “There is a lot we don’t know about this new COVID-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious,” Polis said in a statement posted on Twitter. The news comes the day after White House…
Grenada’s Ministry of Education on Monday announced that schools will not be reopening on January 4 to start the second or Hilary term 2021. Acting on the advice of the Ministry of Health, the Education Ministry in a statement said that during week commencing January 4, officers will seek to engage managers, principals, teachers and other key personnel to discuss plans for the new term. “This is deemed necessary, based on the prevailing circumstances related to COVID-19,” said the release which issued an apology for all inconveniences that this development may cause. “All decisions made to advance the engagement of…