COVID-19 patient app to be launched | Screening area being created at hospital

Government will be launching a mobile application for persons diagnosed with the highly contagious coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Health Minister Carvin Malone said configuration of the application is largely complete and testing begins this week.

“Arrangements are being finalised to launch a patient application for android and iPhone to assist patients who may be diagnosed, suspected, or on quarantine to be able to communicate with the physician conducting their care and track their symptoms,” the minister said during a live public broadcast on Wednesday.

Coupled with the introduction of this app, Malone said the BVI Health Services Authority has constructed a screening and assessment area outside the emergency room of the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital.

“Its capacity is 20 to 30 mild cases per hour with actual severe cases being referred into the emergency room,” he stated.

Nine ICU Ventilators

The Health Minister further said government received four new Hamilton C3 mechanical ventilators for the hospital. This now increases the total ventilator bed capacity in the intensive care unit to nine.

“Two of the new ventilators were purchased with special funds approved by the Cabinet and made available by the Ministry of Finance and the kind compliments of the Minister of Finance,” Malone stated.

“The additional two were special donations from Dr Henry Jarecki. I wish to publicly acknowledge and thank Dr Jarecki for his kindness and generosity towards the people of the Virgin Islands,” he added.

These new developments add to the existing 14-bed isolation ward at the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital, the PCR testing equipment to conduct in-island COVID-19 testing, the trained contact tracing and surveillance personnel, and the hundreds of test kits made available through donations from regional and international organisations.