No community spread of COVID-19 in Grenada – PM
Published:Tuesday | April 14, 2020 | 10:14 AM
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has admitted that his administration’s immediate response to combat the spread of COVID-19 has been a learning experience but despite the challenges, the current data is projecting that there is no community spread of the disease.
“This has been a stiff learning curve for all of us along the way as we face the unprecedented global crisis, we ask all of you sisters and brothers for your continued patience in this time of restricted movement as we must allow the healthcare to pursue broad-based testing in keeping with scientific modelling to ascertain the degree of which COVID-19 is presence in our country,” he said during a news conference late Monday.
“It is simply to ensure that all persons who were potentially exposed to the virus are tested,” he said while explaining the data indicate that the virus appears to be contained despite Grenada having 14 confirmed persons.
Thirteen of the 14 confirmed persons are presently on island because a UK national who was tested positive left the island without approval and returned to the UK via Canada.
However, the Prime Minister said that not having community spread should not be used as a reason to become careless with social behaviour and interaction.
“This sisters and brothers you will agree is excellent news but we cannot afford to let our guards down just yet, we must maintain the vigilance we have exhibited in recent weeks and you the citizens must continue to practice physical and social distancing and the recommended cough and sneezing techniques,” he said.
Mitchell, who also serves as Minister for National Security, said that because of containment and no indication of community spreading, the government is considering easing up some of the COVID-19 regulations which restrict the movement of citizens.
“Given our overall status as it relates to the present of COVID-19 in our country, we are seriously considering further easement of the curfew,” he promised.
Grenada’s 24-hour mandatory curfew ends on April 20.
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