Coronavirus tests performed on 13 corpses returns negative
Doctor in a protective suit opening sterile packaging of tube and swab to test for COVID-19
Chief Executive Officer of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) Dr Ronald Georges said COVID-19 tests conducted on 13 recently-deceased residents have shown no presence of the virus.
“All persons who die, regardless of the cause of death, are tested for COVID-19 by the pathologist,” Dr Georges told BVI News.
He gave that report amid fears that the stigma associated with the disease may have led to persons to shun medical care and die at home.
The territory conducted its first COVID-19 screening of deceased persons April 7. These screens confirm previous reports that only one person died from coronavirus-related symptoms locally. That person, a female patient, tested positive for the virus before her death.
Responding to further questions from BVI News, Dr Georges said the procedure of posthumous testing involves the pathologist retrieving nasal swabs from the deceased. The samples collected from the swab are then subjected to a real-time polymerase chain reaction that would be tested for COVID-19.
Not out of the woods yet
In the meantime, Premier Andrew Fahie urged residents to continue adhering to the social distancing and hygiene protocols.
In a June 24 statement, he said: “Remember that even though we have no new or existing confirmed cases of COVID-19, we are not yet out of the woods. COVID-19 is real. In fact, some countries in the world are seeing a significant resurgence, and this is no good news for economies around the world.”
He continued: “I want to impress upon us here the importance of not becoming complacent. We cannot let down our guard. We are fighting an enemy that we cannot see. We continue to have preventative measures in place, but the safety of us all depends on what we do. As a Government, we know that all of the decisions are not always popular. Many of them are tough, but I can assure you that they were made in the best interest of the people of the Virgin Islands.”
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Viewed the debate on the Safety of Scooter use last evening, and to my surprise, No health safety protocols was observed.
with regards to social distancing especially with the debaters and the audience. I would assume that hands were sanitized prior entering the room as everyone was handling the same microphone. My impression was that the safety protocols was no longer necessary as there were Government Ministers also in attendance not wearing mask either.
Health officials please let us know what is going on with regards to safety protocols in attendance meetings or gathering or in general.
well how nobody blogging? after talking so much rubbish
this is good news
I think everybody is fed to h*** up of all the bull that is going on in this dam place and cannot even leave, they stuck in this mess.
Where would you leave and go to. Is there any where in the world right not that does not have Covid cases or is just as apprehensive about getting cases as the BVI is? Why don’t you just sit and enjoy the fact that you can go to the beach and relax and pray that a vaccine can be formulated soon.
A Bill Gates vaccine is the last thing you need for this. It will do more harm than This virus will.
Viewed the debate on the Safety of Scooter use last evening, and to my surprise, No health safety protocols was observed.
No social distancing especially with the debaters and the audience. My impression was that the safety protocols was no longer necessary as there was Government ministers was also in attendance not wearing mask either.
I was starting to get antsy about not receiving information on all these sudden deaths so this puts my mind at ease.
Thank you for reporting!