Dominica has come a long way in the fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic. Our strategy to fight this invisible enemy has always been guided by the best available evidence. The core of our strategy from day one focuses on finding every positive case, isolating every case, treating every case and aggressively conducting contact tracing to find all contacts of positive cases and quarantine all these contacts. After nine (9) months in the fight against COVID-19, we are proud to report that we have no deaths from COVID-19.
After nine (9) months, we are able to prevent community transmission of this deadly killer in Dominica. As of today, Friday, December 18, 2020, eighty-four (84) of the ninety-two (92) confirmed cases have successfully recovered from COVID-19. There are eight (8) active cases who are currently admitted at the St. James COVID Isolation Unit in Portsmouth. All of our active cases are asymptomatic. So since the last press briefing of December 9th 2020, 5 cases have been identified.
First New Case
A 51 year old male who arrived in Dominica on December 6, 2020. His rapid test done on arrival was positive and was admitted to quarantine facility. His PCR done on December 9, 2020 was positive for SARS COVID 19. He was admitted to the COVID isolation unit.
Second New Case
A 56 year old male who arrived in Dominica on December 12, 2020. His rapid test done on arrival was positive. He subsequently had a PCR swab done which was positive for COVID-19. He was admitted to the COVID isolation unit on December 14, 2020.
Third New Case
A 27 year old male who arrived in Dominica on December 12, 2020. His rapid test done on arrival was positive. A PCR done during secondary screening was positive for COVID-19. He was admitted to the COVID isolation unit on December 14, 2020.
Fourth New Case
A 22 year old female who arrived in Dominica on December 9, 2020. Her rapid test done on arrival was positive. According to our protocol a 5 day PCR test was done which was positive for COVID-19. She was admitted to the COVID isolation unit.
Fifth new Case
A 56 year old female who arrived in Dominica on 11/12/2020. A 5 day PCR was positive for SARS COVID-19. She was admitted to the COVID Isolation Unit.
So all of the 5 new cases were imported cases. However, because of stringent protocols they were all captured on arrival, quarantined and later admitted to the COVID Isolation Unit and as such we were able to prevent any community transmission.
Our protocols for managing these cases are based on international accepted protocols which we have implemented from October 14, 2020.
All of the patients admitted to the Isolation Unit are based on positive PCR results obtained from our National Laboratory at the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital. Every single one of the six thousand, eight hundred and seventy-eight (6,878) PCR tests done at the Laboratory to date has been reviewed and approved by an international expert virologist. Hence, the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and New Health Investment stands by the results issued.
The response by the Dominican public in the fight against COVID-19 has been very positive. We must not drop our guards as we prepare to celebrate the Christmas Season. We know that many families and loved ones are coming back home to celebrate the season. Let’s celebrate in a responsible way. We want to celebrate the Christmas Season and enter 2021 with zero deaths in Dominica from COVID-19. We all want to see a brighter 2021 so let us all act responsibly.
For persons arriving in Dominica to celebrate with your families and friends, please ensure you adhere to the protocols and in particular the stipulated quarantine period before you begin to interact with your families and friends. It is because of the overwhelming cooperation of the general public to the basic public health measures of washing hands with soap and water, hand sanitization with 70% Alcohol, not coughing in your hands, social distancing and wearing of masks, that we have come a long way in fighting this enemy called COVID-19. The public support, coupled with robust policies, legislations, and protocols, are the main contributors to our success so far.
We have, in Dominica, some of the most hardworking and resilient health care providers in the region and probably in the world. They never give up in the face of challenges and in times of crisis. We are profoundly grateful for the work of each and every one of you in the war against this pandemic It is through your hard work, we remain optimistic.
Like the inspirational singer says, “Our tomorrow will be greater than today.”
I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and good health in 2021.
I thank you
It is great that the incoming cases are found early before entering community. However more targeted testing must be done in the conmunity as recommneded by WHO.
Is ther any negotiation with Pfizer or Moderna about buying vaccines? Must jump on this early to assure early delivery of vaccine for Dominica.
Great job folks
To show you how deceiving any country is that uses the PCR test, it was NEVER meant to be used as a diagnostic tool for ANYTHING according to its Nobel winning creator. It has never been standardized or validated in terms of comparing results to a gold standard. So the results are entirely arbitrary and meaningless. And yet government manipulate data and falsely declare it valid for their own purposes. Covid is not a virus, it is nanotech, nanobots created in labs utilizing genetic sequences, either RNA, DNA, etc. These can be used as bioweapons and can be specific for human genetic types and as causative agents for making people ill or worse. Biotech is the name of the game.
Good thing that they are all imported, that is a load off our backs with worries about contracting the virus. Dominicans don’t stop praying for God’s protection, if you think you belong to Him in His Christ Jesus
Some people will never learn, nor ever stop talking out of their mind!
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. China-man brought it to Dominica. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in January 2020 and a pandemic in March 2020. As of 13 December 2020, more than 71.8 million cases have been confirmed, with more than 1.6 million deaths.
Of that amount the virus killed more than three hundred thousand people in America. Out of China it came; hence it seems as if it’s imported wherever it exists.
So, why thank God it was imported into Dominica?
It was also imported into Canada, America, Europe, on continent of Africa, hence that is why it is identified as a pandemic, meaning it’s all over the Globe,…
And those coming backdoor? As a skerrit apologist I dont expect you to think that far anyway.
Never mind imported; good job you were exported some time ago. We definitely do not need any more people in the Nature Island, that are proud of wearing that red badge of ignorance together with these burgundy red tinted spectacles that were supposed to be for blind people only but uncle Skerrit gave them free of charge to all his supporters.
Congratulations! Continue doing what you do to protect our citizens. Dominica cannot handle what’s going on in the USA and elsewhere around the world. Be cautious, precaution is better than cure. Stay positive, stay healthy, stay safe. Avoid crowds, wash your hands at every turn, most importantly WEAR YOUR MASKS, not under your chin, cover mouths and noses. Keep Dominica safe and healthy. HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY, and SAFE, HOLIDAY SEASON.