From St Lucia Newsonline

SNO – Saint Lucia has quarantined a foreign national who arrived on the island on Tuesday in light of protocols established for the feared novel coronavirus.

The person arrived in Saint Lucia on Tuesday in a private yacht from a nearby country the Department of Health and Wellness said.

The country was not named.

“In keeping with our national response protocols, the individual has been placed on medical quarantine at a public health facility and the necessary assessments are being undertaken,” the department said in a statement late Tuesday

The statement did not name the facility where the person was being held but gave the assurance that everything was being done to protect Saint Lucians.

“The Department of Health and Wellness assures the public that established protocols and guidelines are being followed to ensure the protection of the health and safety of our medical practitioners, our clients and the general public,” the statement said.

Videos have been circulating on social media with people claiming that two people with the dreaded virus were being held at a hospital in Saint Lucia.

Authorities have not commented on that video and the information could not be confirmed.

SNO will follow developments on that matter and will publish further information when it becomes available.

For more on this story go to: https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/breaking-news-saint-lucia-quarantines-foreign-national-in-light-of-coronavirus/

UPDATE: Quarantine area for suspected coronavirus cases identified in Saint Lucia

From St Lucia Newsonline

(SNO) – A quarantine area has been identified for suspected cases of the coronavirus in Saint Lucia.

This is according to the Saint Lucia Medical and Dental Association, although it did not give the location of the area.

“A quarantine area has been identified and prepared for any suspected case,” the association said in a statement. “Guidelines and updates have been disseminated to all members regarding said virus.”

It said intense training of health care staff is also ongoing.

“There is intense ongoing training of staff of health facilities, particularly those on the front line,” the association stated.

It said there are “many unknowns” about the novel coronavirus and urged Saint Lucians to avoid obtaining and spreading information from invalidated sources.

“In the interim we continue to urge you our fellow citizens, members of the general public to avoid garnering and disseminating information from invalidated sources and to obtain information only from credible sources; World Health Organization (WHO), Pan American Health organization (PAHO), the Department of Health officials including the Bureau of Health Education…” the statement said.

The association said that there has been no confirmation of the Novel Coronavirus in Saint Lucia.

For more on this story go to: https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/quarantine-area-for-suspected-coronavirus-cases-identified-in-saint-lucia/