Last Updated on February 26, 2020, 2:15 AM AST by Anthony Morris
During Emergency Committee’s second meeting of the which was convened by the Director-General of World Health Organisation, under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) concerning the outbreak of deadly coronavirus COVID-19 in the People’s Republic of China.
The committee acknowledged that the outbreak has now met the criteria for being declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The World Health Organisation expressed that further international exportation of cases is expected. It advised all the countries that they should ensure preparation for containment, which would include preventative measures, active surveillance, early detection, isolation and contact tracing.
To diminish the likelihood of spread of COVID-19 in the population of Saint Lucia, On February 4, 2020, the Department of Health and Wellness, placed travel restrictions on non-nationals from Mainland China. The non-nationals who have a travel history from Mainland China within 14 days, whether originating or in-transit.
Saint Lucia’s Department of Health and Wellness says that it has noticed that there has been a noticeable rise in the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus COVID-19 cases worldwide. Moreover, as the virus has spread to twenty-nine (29), other countries outside of China and has lead to 23 deaths.
So keeping the scenario in mind, the Department of Health and Wellness recommended an extension of the travel restrictions to these countries- Hong Kong which has currently reported 74 confirmed cases and two deaths, the Republic of Korea which has 763 confirmed cases and seven deaths, Japan which has 144 confirmed cases and one death, Italy, having 124 confirmed cases and two deaths and Singapore having 89 confirmed cases from Wednesday, February 26 at 12 a.m onwards.
So, Any national returning to Saint Lucia with a travel history to any countries mentioned above will be restrained for a span of 14 days.
The department also said that travel to the above-listed places should not be done if it is not essential.
The Government of Saint Lucia praised the Chinese government authorities for the efforts they are making to handle and contain the outbreak of the virus.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
