The number of positive cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has increased to seven.
This information has just been revealed by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit in an address to the nation.
“Earlier today, I was informed by the Minister of Health that health authorities have officials have confirmed five additional positive testings associated with one of the two cases already under observation. This brings to seven, the number of coronavirus cases in Dominica,” the prime minister said.”This means that at least five persons are known to have contracted the virus as a consequence of coming into contact, in one way or the other, with one or the other, with one of the persons who was tested positive and who would have brought the virus from abroad.”
Skerrit said that confirmed cases of on-island testing have brought Dominica to level three and certain necessary adjustments have to be made to avoid exposing the nation to the possibility and probability of additional imported cases.
“I wish to announce this evening that the Commonwealth of Dominica shall suspend all commercial air and sea access to all non-Dominicans effective Thursday the 26th day of March 2020 and to all travellers, including Dominican citizens and residents Saturday, the 28th of March 2020, This order relates to all commercial aircraft as well as non-essential, service-oriented, pleasure craft,” the Prime Minister stated. “The same order of March 28th applies to ships, boats and yachts not visiting Dominica for the express purpose of bringing in vitally-needed cargo and other supplies to Dominica. All air and sea arrivals must, henceforth, be granted permission to enter by the office of the Chief Medical Officer.”
This suspension, according to Skerrit, will remain in effect until further notice.
“Dominicans abroad wishing to return home in the short term should act now to schedule travel within the time frame of this order. The same applies to Dominicans and visitors desirous of leaving Dominica. You have but a short time to do this,” Skerrit advised.
Watch video of the Prime Minister’s address below.
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Well, since my post of yesterday, it has jumped from 7 to now 11, with an additional 4 being re-tested. If these are (likely) to be positive, that would make the equivalent outbreak to be 13508 – FAR higher than the UK. This is SERIOUS and I can never forgive both governments for allowing this to enter their borders.
This is unfair comments girl.. What is up with you the whole world is infested.. Do you think our Government could stop that…They depend on tourism for a living. Our own people has it. Ms Attidore rethink.. Now is not the time to blame shift now is the time to get together and ask God for Mercy. We have not seen anything yet. Did you see the amount of people that were in Dominica for carnival? then election. This thinh has been around and now in full manifestation. Relax sto blame shifting… PRAY
So while we are blaming the PM, is no one going to blame the grown man who was very, very well aware of the CoVID-19 pandemic and very aware that he came from a highly affected region and instead of being responsible and adhering to quarantine, he went galivanting over Dominica? No one going to blame him? Really???
Dominicans, we are not children. That nonsense of “Is a free country, I can do what I want” has to stop. Take responsibility and behave like adults. I so fedup with that nonsense. Be responsible. Be mindful of the needs of others. Bring back common sense.
cont.
to continue bcuz the carriers are many..Show no signs but slowly infected others..
Guys I pray for the best for you all but should the worst come out of it..you all had ample time to batten down before that storm got to you all…
It’s not a style that one should envy not having…IT’S DEADLY…
I suspect this old saying will truly a reality to many countries amidst that pandemic..Those who can’t hear must feel..All what the PM is doing now should have been done long time ago..You all should have never even waited for the French President to take action on travel,,you’ll should have taken that stance a long time ago,,and after he did it you’ll still did not see the need to stop folks from coming in or going out..You’ll don’t have cable down there or what…you’ll don’t believe what you’ll are seeing..You’ll are not dreaming,in case you’ll are thinking that what it is,it’s real..
Sad to say it’s in and it’s not going to be easy from there on..For ones it’s in,it takes of like lightning..You’ll got 7 people multiply that by 10,and the 10 multiply them by another 10 probably even by 20..Listen here: this thing spreads like crazy..The only thing that can help now..is to test everyone in the country,isolate those that need to be and even then the test going to have…
Our people should stop throwing maypwe, do as is told By WHO, the World Health Organization, proper Hygiene, social distance, no social gathering, stay the F–K at home, and allow those who are qualified to deal with the this pandemic..to blame Skeritt is like blaming CHINA, now China is moving forward…allow us to do the same…
There is more to this than we can imagine. It’s not just pick someone from the street look them in the eyes and say Corona. Proper testing has to be done, and the results is not overnight…
Dominica we need our Dominican support…enough of the blame game…
Well, well, well. The Prime Minister has the virus in his pocket to give out. People need to stay within their borders, cease traveling unless it is essential. Stay at home people. I am willing to bet that the Prime Minister’s passport has not been stamped recently. Stay at home unless it is a life or death situation. Stop blaming elected officials for everything. When the trumpet sounds will it be the Prime Minister who made the loud noise too?
i dont know if it me alone with his mentality, but i am thinking that a people love their PM so much that they are willing to gamble their lives to feed his ego, ignorance and his immoral way of life..
now all those die hard labourites can you tell your “MAN GOD” skerrit, to close all the borders and isolate the sick so we can allow that virus to die out in a matter of three weeks?. who die die and who survive will recover …………..but we will have our lives
Skerrit saw trouble coming and did nothing to help protect the people that love him and keep voting for him. To make things worse, now trouble is here Skerrit still not doing a thing to help protect the people. Here is a bible verse I would like to leave with Mr. Skerrit: Eze. 33: 6 “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.”
I voted for you, tried not to comment and replied on heath min. but clearly you have failed us with this multiplier effect, it’s now on your shoulders.
This is not the only thing on his shoulders. This man will go down in history having been poison for our beautiful island facilitated by some greedy citizens and criminals.
At a time like that point fingers at God, men of little faith. These are imported cases and the people they interacted with. How can the government deny entry to Dominicans who want to return home? Regardless of your braying the COVID 19 was inevitable. Yes everyone entering the country is being screened and follow ups are being conducted. Now we all are in the boat together, follow proper hygienic instructions and stay safe, yes the numbers are still going to go higher.
Too many complaints
Here it is that ****** the oneman rogue regime and his team of apologists said they were ready and prepared to protect the people and island from corona virus but refused to close the borders until the island is infected with 7 cases in 3 days. Even if the borders were not closed, but there is no way that anyone should enter the ports without being quarantined in a State prepared facility and tested. Why should someone be allowed to come from a hotspot country and ended up in the East of the Island until falling ill with the virus
The oneman rogue regime should be held responsible and accountable by the People and forced out of office!!!
When this covid-19 reach communities people are going to die like flies.
1. who is going to take the sick to get help. who is contracted to take them to get help.
2. are nurses in community prepared to deal with 10 per week.
3. does communities have a designated place for quarantine.
4. are supplies station in areas for easy access for nurses.
5. make a survey in communities to see what percentage of people who have prepared or have the money to prepare.when i talked about the prime minister closing tourist season and made a statement that their are many cases in Dominica. it was like calling for covid-19. Gid gives us wisdom so that we can make informed decisions.
Some of the reporter or radio announcement have a responsibility to educate the public and they failed miserably. three stoogies should be of the radio for now. Covid-19 education should have replace it.
Guys don’t play. Decisive decisions now. Close borders. Close schools. Stop people from going to work unless essential services. Everyone stay home a self quarantine. Otherwise to late shall be the cry.
The cat is already out of the bag. Now that our numbers are rising he decides to take action. Too late shall be your cry.
Now Skerrit will make sure his family is securely protected while the rest of the population will have to deal with his mess.
I hope the people who got their cool-out money finally get to realize how incompetent this guy is.
You fools. Cussing Linton when he was telling everyone the borders needed to be closed. Skerrit sheeple made it a political matter of calling him a fool, with one post I saw calling him a “mad man”. Now, I’m in the UK so I don’t care about Labour or UWP and have no affiliation whatsoever. What I do know is that the UK PM was just as stupid and blind by keeping the UK borders open and letting people leave to spread it to places like Dominica.
Now your wonderful PM had over a month to be prepared and once this was reported in the Caribbean, to close borders. Instead, he believed this could be “handled”. Listen, the FIRST action is PREVENTION. The borders were the PRIMARY way the virus could get to Dominica. He knew this. The government knew this. EVERYBODY knew this, but ignored this. Maybe his strings were being pulled…
7 cases this fast? 73,286 people in Dominica. 66M in UK. That’s 98 per M. The equivalent cases is 6402 if compared. That’s REPORTED cases.
Skerrit…
Dominica has long been looking for records, now it has one a 700% increase in 2 days! no where else in the world has this happened. Admin: you are not posting my comments but I will advise you to review my postings when I indicated that Corona will wipe out D/ca, you had an issue with me!! I have been calling for the closure of Dominican borders since mid February, but instead we took the ignorant view that we will wait and see, so see it there now, wha you gonna do Dr Dr Roosevelt; you and your idiot MOH who parades as a Doctor but whose actions testify against training have persistently lied to and disrespected our people, but be aware covid-19 is not a political issue but it may be sufficient to drive you and your idiotic team from office and chase you all, yes all of you and the labour party into political exile.The arc of the moral universe is long but bends towards towards justice. Your suggested moves too late!
I honestly weep for D/ca, my country, my home, may God be with…
NO COMMENTS other than you have always been a NON proactive leader BUT the People spoke in December 2019.
Not the people but the members of the red clinic, the foreigners that were flown in and a good deal of dead people. Get your facts right, you greedy person!
MR PM, why doesn’t it say: effective immoderately!! Why are you waiting until a later date? I doh get it???
You have to give Dominicans a chance to get home. They cannot be exiled in another country where they have no rights to medical care. That’s why. Especially if they are there for business
get home to catch the virus in the airports and bring it home to a place with no MEDICAL CARE? They should stay indoors where they are its safer. Use your head.
Ikr..i am so upset..he giving them time to return to bring more virus…look my english friend coming down today and i already tell her stay far from me..and i sure there is more because skerrot say to comenhome and bring de vrus…but u know what? Is sacrifice he want that is y he doing that.. all now it should be stay home that is y people go shopping. The health officials overseas saying stay home to save lives but they want death to to reach 200..if his family had it he would call state of emergency but he too comfortable in his palace. Me self i not going to work..de boss can fire me..too bad…life before money.
I meant EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY! But, you all get my point I was trying to make.
Sorry sir but you acted too late. From the time you heard Corona virus was in the caribbean, and Dominicans called for the closure og the boarders you should have acted.
When man thinks he is greater Than others, he midt remember that there is a higher force.
AA do you think that the virus would not get here? Why pretend that we are the only persons who matter on this world. All you modern now, travelling to and thro. Yet you do not realise the pros and cons of everything. Dominica is not exempted from any illnesses. Do you know that someone could be infected and be a Carrier? Show no signs and syntoms.
Which boarder is every one talking about….
What A sorry excuse for a prime minister. He refused to close the border and we up to 7 cases from on on Sunday to seven on Tuesday.
Yet he does not see the need to cloth the border and institute a curfew for at least three weeks to a month
You are of course spot on. The people of Dominica should hold Skerrit personally for every death in DA as a result of corona virus. The writing has been on the wall for weeks but he kept quiet and did nothing. Kick him out of our country, he has done enough damage!
Do not follow what you hear and read about other countries no.1 Dominica does not have borders. We have ports. and you cannot just close them its not that easy because all our supplies comes from other country. Every one just siting back and shouting close It close it but you must put a plan in place. We cannot feed everyone in the country with what we stock local food and meat is not enough.
Wallace what rubbish are you espousing? Dominica is an island in case you forgot, An island is surrounded by water, the junction between the water and the land mass is a border. Every country has air space, the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory. To move from Antigua’s air space into Dominica’s airspace, a virtual or understood border would have to be crossed. For your education sir, the call for closure of the borders just means that we should prevent the entrance to our country from air or sea; we could still permit cargo to enter.
If Dr Skerrit was a half decent leader he would encourage the farmers to embark on producing more by subsidising their efforts. He could encourage the production of six months crops like Potatoes etc. We knew of this disease heading to Dominica since November. We sat on our hands barking lies about the state of preparedness, one health official considered it a game. In the absence of a leader let us help each other.
Langsal, you are the sorry excuse! Where you are seating at the bus stop is it sanitize? As you go chasing people for your bus do you ask them any questions, do you have or use sanitizer! So you could be a potential carrier of the pandemic. When you point one finger at a person the other four is pointing at you.
So we know that 2 cases were imported and that 5 were infected from one of the originals … How would closing the borders have stopped the secondary infection… especially when the original infector was asymptomatic?. The vast majority (99%) of people who get eventually sick from this disease will get infected by people who have not travelled in the last few months … so closing the border is the WRONG focus. The correct focus is your own conduct (wash your hands, don’t touch your face, maintain your distance as far as practical) and no authority ought to compel you to do that. At the end of the day most of us will get infected. The effort is not to stop that … that’s impossible.. but to make the rate at which we get infected slower so that we don’t exhaust our medical resources at once and we lower the chance of elderly folks dying from that rather than something else. Panic still, see if that will help you .. SMH
When people elect corrupt and ineffective leaders..at times like these..they get to reap the fruits of their folly.
Dominica should have shut down it’s borders at least 2 weeks ago. Instead, we were sending masks to China.
WE ARE DOING WHAT?? That’s madness!! like Dominicans won’t need mask? that’s stupid as hell dread. Skerit seems to have made up his mind to let Dominicans die. It’s not bad enough diaspora came Dominica and mess up our elections and leave us to die a**-poorer now they bring the virus to kill us and he is leaving the borders open to bring in more? madness. well what can I say because still some day we love you PM even while they dying of the virus he caused them to have
there is a saying i learnt from tony astaphans when uwp was in power, CORRUPTION BREEDS POVERTY. now we can say corrupt and ineffective leaders causes poverty and death
This missed opportunity by the Prime Minister is irresponsibility and a failure to act at the highest order and the highest level. Every concerned Dominican, even the most die-hard Skerrit supporter would agree.
Simply put, our leadership failed to act in a timely manner and therefore dropped the ball in taking proactive steps to manage the threat and devastation of the corona virus pandemic.
I would venture to say that my fellow Dominicans and I who had a measure of comfort, relief and thanksgiving just a week ago no longer have a warm and fuzzy feeling after the recent troubling news.
May the Most High continue bless and protect all Dominicans and their families across the globe!!!
Skerrit is a liability to our beautiful country. …………he makes erratic decisions that could cost thousands of our citizens their lives. Not to mention asking foreign soldiers to come in our country and harass our citizen. The man needs to be shown the door!
from those same two man that spreading it to other PEOPLE smh they did not quarantine telling lies now look people going to die thanks to two idiots
well I bet you there are more than these two ******, but we let them run free, so virus run free too. Self quarantine, yeah, right. We Dominicans don’t listen to anyone, we don”t follow guidelines, we do what we want, regardless of how serious a situation might be. The professional authorities left it up to the people to quarantine themselves, well do they know if the situation at the people home can sustain self quarantine, how was that assessed? What kind of medical team is that? These people are not serious and they suppose to be medical people who take care of people and protect lives? I have never heard of anything like this. All the other islands doing quarantine in a supervised facility, their numbers not going up like that. The ones doing that self quarantine nonsense shooting up, and there is much more shooting up to come, because of how this was MAL handled
Den if you are honest and truthful in Dominica, the people dont like you. they were looking for two scapegoats to blame. Like they carry diseases in a bottle, Look at the Paros, their dressings,get food from the waste bins and yet they catch no diseases.There is one thing they avoid ,I will leave it to your imaginations. The first doctor was formed through observation. If you have only two patient,why need 25 nurses from cuba. As you will observed,someone is not telling the truth somewhere. Be on the alert and guard yourself.They will be caught
So their new way of counting is 1, 2, 7? So knowing them I would not be surprised to hear the next number is 25?
He making his collection 666 people he want then he will close de borders. Stay home eh people…those employers that like money they want you to come and their backside in their office while you mingling with corona.. if allu leaving work make sure to spit on their desk so of u go down he too wi go down. I tell my boss lady i out my life first
Don’t make a fool of yourself. first of all there is also a psychological aspect involved. Firstly to locate the first people he/she makes contact with and to do so takes takes time. Then another ten people follow the same process and then the same again. quarantine and be tested. Some shows symptoms aftern 5 days some after 7 days and some the maximum 14 days…to say that the new way of counting is from 2 to 7 sounds like someone without knowledge of what’s true…there a guideline to be followed and if the world is following WHY shouldn’t we?
The ones exposed the the virus are also at risk. Nurse, Doctors, Ambulance Technicians, police (public servants). To cut it short.
The wife of the prime minister of Canada, Prince Harry were diagnosed with the virus. Who should be blamed?
Let educate ourselves not for today but for tomorrow…
More like 52. But it’s not the numbers I’m afraid of but the already mediocre medical situation in DA. It doesn’t give cause for great hope. The PM of DA will be responsible for many many avoidable death. But you all love your PM…!