Barbados has confirmed three new cases of COVID-19 – a 60-year-old Barbadian man who recently returned from New York; an American male in his 40s, who is the partner of one of the first cases diagnosed two days ago; and a male crew member of a cruise ship, who is in his 30’s.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley made the announcement today during a press conference at Ilaro Court.  This brings to five the number of persons with the virus, as Minister of Health, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, had announced the first two cases on Tuesday morning.

Ms. Mottley stated: “The first case today was the spouse of the visiting female …. The gentleman, I am told, never left her side and was in isolation with her even when she went into isolation.  It is therefore no surprise to the medical officials that he has tested positive.

“The second new case was that of a 60-year-old Barbadian who arrived on the weekend…from New York, and who developed symptoms soon after arriving in Barbados.  We have been monitoring him for a few days and he also has tested positive. The third individual is a request from the cruise lines; someone who has never lived in Barbados, and in fact, has never been to Barbados.  I’m told that he was in isolation from the time that he started to feel bad and the cruise line asked us if we would facilitate the testing of him, in order that they may take the appropriate precautions.”

Ms. Mottley explained that with respect to the two new onshore cases, there was a significant amount of contact tracing that was still being done, particularly with the Barbadian who came in on the weekend.  She added that it was too early for the medical officials to advise on the results of that contact tracing.

“They have advised me, however, that they have tested the other Barbadian who was tested first and the contact tracing with her family has suggested that they should also be able to have results later this afternoon with respect to her husband and two children.  The good news being that she literally did not go anywhere once she landed,” she noted.

The Prime Minister stated that there was a request last week to test five or six persons on board one ship, but Barbados refused because officials did not believe the country had the capacity to do so.

“We had not yet stood up our Defence Force Field Hospital; we only had the limited beds at Enmore at the time and we believed that it was too many for us to take at once,” she explained.

She pointed out though that Barbados had a legal, contractual, moral, ethical and humanitarian obligation to these ships.

Ms. Mottley also expressed the view that a large number of Barbadians would eventually get the virus.  However, she stressed that of that number, the overwhelming majority would only have mild symptoms.

“And in many instances, I’m told by the doctors, that those mild symptoms will not even present themselves as something that people may even go to the doctor for. There will be a few who will require medical treatment and medical advice and there will even be a smaller number who may be required to be placed into an isolation facility…,” she said.

Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anton Best, said the two women who had tested positive on Tuesday were improving.

He added that 70 tests had been conducted up until the end of yesterday, and another 10 to 15 would probably be done today.

“So, we are going to continue daily testing.  We would have explained previously that we’re testing twice a day and that is going to continue until there is a demand for increased testing.  And then we would have to reassess our processes and protocols,” Dr. Best explained.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley making the announcement, behind her ar right  is  Minister of Health, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic and at left ( in suit )   Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anton Best.