Laboratory Superintendent, Catherina Jemmot, has disclosed that the Dominica China Friendship Hospital is now equipped with a top of the line machine to detect and identify the coronavirus and her department is trained and ready to do the requisite testing.
“I think what made us ready for testing in Dominica is foresight, and an understanding that newly emerging diseases are rapidly becoming the norm in this modern era,” she said.
She stated that during the construction of the new hospital, they requested a molecular unit. Molecular testing, Jemmot explained, is done through a machine which provides individualized healthcare through industry-leading diagnostic and reporting capabilities.
A molecular test is a laboratory test that checks for certain genes, proteins, or other molecules in a sample of tissue, blood, or other body fluid. Molecular tests also check for certain changes in a gene or chromosome that may cause or affect the chance of developing a specific disease or disorder.
“We are using molecular testing to identify the virus,” Jemmot said.
She said in 2019, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the Ministry of Health the lab was furnished with “a PCR machine for testing not for Covid 19…we were getting ready for emerging diseases, dengue, Chikungunya and Zika.”
“At this point, we have staff that are competent to test for the Coronavirus…we’ve developed standard operating procedures (SOP) for the collecting and transportation of specimen to the laboratory and not putting anyone at risk,” Jemmot explained. “Thus far, we have tested 28 patients and they have all tested negative…no detection. We do quality assurance and that is key. We run multiple control with every test run with the biologist from Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) who did the training and we observe strict safety precautions at all times.”
The Lab Superintendent further disclosed that they are also in collaboration with the Caribbean Public Health Organization (CARPHA)which gives them full “support and guidance”.
“The aim right now is to bring in additional human resource so we can expand our testing,” Jemmot said.
Yea sickos
Skerrit bought her too! Public officers must not even do the work they are paid to do any more right!
Don’t give information it is a problem. They hiding something. Give information, they are lying.
Sometimes I feel that even God will get fed up with Dominica because of some of its citizens – ungrateful, spiteful, hateful, complaining, never satisfied, vengeful, bad-mouthed, you name it! They’ve got it!
Even at this time they are looking for a reason to cause riots and confusion. These people still have not learnt?
All of the other Caribbean islands who have been affected are working together to manage the situation. Dominica is one of the last to be affected and instead of being grateful for that and working towards containing any spread we are busy inciting riots and closure of roads? No boy! Real Sickos
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You outlined a very good speech for testing diagnosing and confirming the results of the virus, now there’s a reported case and more than likely a few more. Can you please give us in full details the treatment medicine full time expected for recovery. Am sitting by the road waiting and watching wondering if anyone that’s passing may be carrying the virus.
Testing is great but infected individuals can infect other before symptoms even appear. Therefore testing will also lag behind new infections. Unless a country can test 1000s of people per day like Korea, testing will not stop the spread it will only report the bad news. There are ZERO cases on Dominica. The debate should be on how to maintain zero local infection. Giant China with numerous airports now has ZERO new local infections per day, despite having numerous INFECTED people arrive from outside its borders every day!!! How? Every person arriving in China is put in a government watched 14 DAY QUARANTINE. Follow China’s example or suffer like the USA and EU. The right policy right now is to implement a 14 DAY QUARANTINE ON ALL NEW ARRIVAL TO DOMINICA.
Catherina, your statement is very interesting. You have tested 28 patients and the results were all negative!!! Interesting indeed! It however beggars the question, Is it that our levels of suspicion are baseless? Is that we are not adhering to established protocols of triaging and hence identifying potentially infected cases? Is it that our machine is not sufficiently sensitive to facilitate diagnosis? Are we able to interpret the data that we recover from the machine? How was the machine standardised? Has it been able to ever diagnose a positive case? Surely with that hi-tech piece of equipment, other caribbean countries should be rushing their specimens to Dominica? That has not been happening! It leaves every rational human being to wonder just what is going on. Are our Labs not trustworthy? Does the Caribbean not respect the results retrieved from our labs? Surely the evidence is not convincing! This seem to suggest to me that Catherina does not understand what she said.
As soon as someone is detected to have covid19 type symptoms take them directly to the new facility at Ross university. Never take them to the normal hospital. You will cause a proliferation of cases due to human error and pathogen propagation. Just look at how well the Chinese handled it. Separation is key. Keep specialized doctors and nurses at the Ross university make shift hospital, and leave the ordinary nurses and doctors at the pmh to deal with normal cases.
Need to stop exposing citizens to tourists coming from cruise ships. Covid-19 has the potential to cripple Dominica 50 times worse than Maria.
lady you have no idea of what that virus can do…this is a hurricane about to hit dominica..you need ventilators.. you needs about 150 beds etc..dominica take this like a Maria coming please
Oh yes, Dominica is well equipped and ready for coronavirus. Somehow China was not ready and equipped, the mighty US was not and is not ready, Italy, The UK , Iran was not ready and equipped but somehow Dominica is ready. Did we not hear the same words from the police the very same day of Maria? They were ready and waiting for looters they said. We were so ready that Skerrit told us there was no need to stockpile water because it was going to be a short storm. Really? Well here is Skerrit on DBS radio on the day of Maria at 11:55 ” I want to make this very important point that the next few hours should be placed on cleaning up the house, the property rather than stockpiling weeks of food and other supplies.
This is not a system, based on advice, that will linger very long, therefore the goal must not be on stockpiling supplies but the mitigating damage caused by flying objects as well as fallen trees, shrubs etc”
I have not read about what I want to learn,all I hear about is the hygiene I learn from my school days. I was formed with organs in my body with one guarantee,if I DONT USE AND ABUSE THEM IT SHOULD LAST FOR THREE SCORES YEARS AND TEN. Where is miss COVIC-19 come from? It is away to control the people and the world. Miss Hurricane Maria,left ashes,debris,you name it,but no infections,we were protected by mountains,trees,rivers and the ocean etc. All these are still in place avoiding miss COVIC. Was it because dead animals were mixed with live ones?
Of all 195 countries in the world there are only 9 with no confirmed cases yet. One of them is Dominica.
You’d almost start to think there is something wrong with the testing they do on the island. Hope it is correct and it stays like this.
“I think what made us ready for testing in Dominica is foresight, and an understanding that newly emerging diseases are rapidly becoming the norm in this modern era,” she said.
“The aim right now is to bring in additional human resource so we can expand our testing,” Jemmot said.
with such foresight why has anyone not been groomed for this position or people sent to study this particular field? we are dependent on external persons always but she is claiming foresight…smh
We should be more concerned about preventing the virus from getting here. What are we doing? Business is going on as usual in Dominica. No ports are closed, no suspension of schools. Grenada has no cases yet the PM closed school for 2 weeks and took measures to restrict entry into the country…..
What are we doing?
Smells like propoganda. Dominica is in China’s pocket, just like many other black countries have increasingly become.
It does not matter what these BLUE CROOKED TRAITORS hear since it is not DESTROYING DOMINICA,they will NEVER BELIEVE.Tell those Aholes Dominica has 12,000 people infected,10,000 deaths.No hospital beds.No hospital.Jemmot is a Chinese mole and they will believe.These UWP TRAITORS would crucify JESUS CHRIST if he were to come to Dominica today.
bull ….we all know this ain’t true
Dominica ain’t ready for this virus n the man is gambling our lives with his lies
time one person get it n they cough just consider us all goners specially the school children who are packed up in a class
o no gatherings what ! once one child coughs the whole schools a goner
Guess what, Lennox Linton will never be the PM of Dominica. What would you have done better? Nothing. 18 to 3.
Based on what information made you come to the conclusion that the UK does not have that type of Technology,do you read or do research. Dominica is capable of performing tests to detect Covid-19. Do some research before you criticize.
Every move of Skerrit and co always reminds me of the story Jesus gave of the five foolish virgins of Matt.5:1-10
. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom [a]is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Sadly is Dominicans that always paying for his foolishness
That is very good news and must give considerable relief to people
Hey Clayton, I like that! Yes indeed, it is good news; but you know me well enough to know that I will say thanks to God.
And my fellow Dominicans, continue walking with faith as it will cause hope to bring good news, such as this one. Blessings to you all.
Are you that Gullible sir?
Before we accept what anyone says it’s important that we understand this:
1. PM Skerrit is working for China and their best interest. So whatever he says or does, protecting China by all means possible in word and in deed is his priority.
2. No matter who says what and who does what, they are working for Skerrit and protecting his best interest. So even if they put their lives or that of their families on the line, protecting Skerrit is far more important to them because they can’t afford to be victimized or lose their job.
3. Since it is a fact that Skerrit is working for China is it not fair to expect everyone working for Skerrit say what Skerrit wants them to say? Here is the principle in 2 Cor. 11:13-
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of…
@Your boss, does it make you feel good to write this kind of darkness of your mind? You said: Skerrit working for China. Can you please elaborate? Because you have made no sense at this point
As a person of the Bible, I suggest that you make sure that what you write or speak from it is guided by God’s Holy Spirit because you have just made a mockery of His Word–as usual. There is no principle in those verses that you quoted above to march the foolishness that you have spoken here.
So if we have a system that is top of the line to test for coronavirus, why are neighboring islands that are friends of Skerrit go all the way to Trinidad instead of Dominica? Could it be that the one at the Skerrit / China hospital is programmed to give negative result? I wish for the sake of Dominica and, for the sake of transparency, we could send all those tested here to Trinidad for a second opinion.
It doesn’t matter how much top of the range their testing system is, they need to prepare for the ones that test positive. They need to take advice from Barbados and start preparing for the ones that will need to be hospitalized
While it may appear that you have the equipment and resources for testing and diagnosing , the truth and fact is are you prepared for an outbreak.
It appeared that Iran is well equipped for testing and diagnosing with some of the most advance equipment, yet had nothing in place for the sudden outbreak , resulting in massive amount of lost of lives. As we coming together to face our future in the island of Dominica. Iranian are being buried in graves the length of two football field.
Nice piece of propaganda! So Dominica all of a sudden out of the blue has got equipment the UK is still waiting for? Lady, I am not buying any stale fish of you…
Didn’t you know, Dominica’s PM is a magic man? He can make things appear out of nothing and he can make things disappear (see CBI and PetroCaribe funds).