BVI News

‘Internal review’ launched amid reports of COVID test hiccup

Minister of Health & Social Development Carvin Malone.

The Ministry of Health will be launching a “internal review” following reports that a person who tested positive for COVID-19 was given a ‘clearance letter’ that indicated a negative test result.

Reports are that this COVID patient is the person who attended a funeral at the Sea Cow’s Bay Methodist Church last Saturday, March 27.

And in a news article published on Tuesday, 284 Media reported that government officials “allowed the public to believe that the individual breached quarantine and deliberately put others at risk”.

Health Minister Carvin Malone described the article as “unfortunate”, considering that officials are still investigating what happened.

“The facts have to be retained before they can reach that type of conclusion,” Malone told BVI News.

Nearly 30 thousand successful procedures

The minister further said he is confident in the territory’s laboratory facilities which have conducted nearly 30,000 successful tests since being established.

Notwithstanding this confidence, the minister said “the [recent] activities warrant an internal review”.

“And if it is determined that any procedures were not followed, it will then give us the ability to correct it and continue on to our thirtieth thousand swab,” he told our news centre.

While further touting the work of the territory’s COVID lab, Malone added: “I think we have a very good record and we’ll actually defend it. But there is nothing really to defend. We just have to do the review and see if there is anything that we need to do better.”

Health Ministry contact tracing as funeral home temporarily closes

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19 Comments

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  1. HELLO says:

    THEM NEED TO ANSWER THE DOGGONE PHONE

    Like 20
    Dislike 2
  2. heckler says:

    Here we go again blaming somebody else

    Like 12
  3. Whilst you are at it.. says:

    Are you going to explain how the Filipino lady died from Covid 19 last year after several calls to the hospital for help?

    Like 50
    Dislike 5
  4. Yup says:

    Oops.

    It’s a simple thing really. Type Y for positive, N for negative.

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
  5. MP says:

    Clear the family name and let them mourn in peace. Meanwhile, get your apology statement in order as your department placed so much stress on individuals and family who attended.

    Like 17
    Dislike 2
  6. Hmmmmm says:

    This is what happens when people lie too much! They let days pass with the person being blamed for this and come at the last hour trying to save face talking about investigation. We are still awaiting the investigation findingd into the lady that died last year and theh listed it as our omly covid death. Where are the findings? So sick of the f**king nonsense in this place!

    Like 27
    Dislike 1
  7. SMH says:

    Sad Situation! Height of Negligence! All involved from the Individual who answered the Phone to the Physician who discharged her in the First Incident(to include Emergency and Health Personnel) should be held accountable. “To cause no harm” surely was not the Protocol here.

    Like 17
    Dislike 1
  8. Unqualified individuals says:

    Somebody needs to look into the recent change in the BVIHSA laboratory management. It is in shambles!

    Like 11
  9. Credibility says:

    The credibility and transparency of this administration needs and investigation. Simply put Funeral was Saturday today Tuesday before they could make a public address on something of this magnitude. This so called error if it was like other countries could have cost lives but realistically we knew something smelt fishy. While others were hastily jumping to conclusions the present administration continues to spread misinformation about people who are vaccinated doesn’t need to quarantine. That is both misleading and dangerous and there is no such literature stating this anywhere unless he has a special AstraZeneca hand book. CANADA recently paused along with Germany concerning serious adverse reactions. I need not say anymore, ill sit back and continue to let them shoot themselves in the foot.
    By the way as educated people we need to also be more informed as to what’s going on in the world. The silent war that’s happening, economic attacks which trickles down 5o everyone’s livelihood.

    Like 8
    Dislike 3
  10. Hmmm says:

    They are always quick to put the blame on the victim.
    I remember the M……r himself blaming the Phillipino lady when she got sick only to find out later that the lady had gone to the hospital to get help and they misdiagnosed her and sent her home

  11. Styles. says:

    Hello Carvin

    And the person that died last year? Investigating that or still ignoring it since it was “only” an expat?

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
  12. Question says:

    How did they find out the person is positive after giving him a negative report????

  13. Shaft says:

    and the pieces are falling into place \ where are all the experts finger pointers ?

  14. lol says:

    Enough. Hopefully we don’t have to wait 23 months to go to the polls

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