BVI seeks UK intervention in COVID supplies seized by US

(CMC): Minister of Health in The British Virgin Islands (BVI), Carvin Malone, says the BVI has sought the assistance of the United Kingdom to retrieve a shipment of medical supplies that have been seized by United States authorities.

Malone says the shipment was seized under the recent Trump administration order to prevent the export of N95 respirators, surgical masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) from the US.

He said the BVI’s shipment contained US$12,000 worth of PPE to help protect local health workers from contracting the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

“I have since reported the incident to the governor who would, through diplomatic channels, be able to find ways in which we can get the goods released,” Malone said in a local broadcast.

“We want to make sure that we have a clear path [for our] purchases of medical replacement supplies through the United States and we would be grateful [if] it would be handled and handled effectively by the UK government and the US government. So I see no issue in terms of it being resolved.”

The US has banned the export of coronavirus protective gear because it “needs these items immediately for domestic use”.

The US has now recorded the most number deaths and confirmed cases of COVID-19 with more than 500,000 and more than 20,000 deaths. 

There are three confirmed cases of the disease and no deaths in the BVI.  

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