As of April 8, 2020, the World Health Organization reported a total of 1,353,361 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally with 79, 235 deaths. There are now 417, 416 cases in the region of the Americas. The affected region includes Dominican Republic (1,956), Jamaica (59), Cuba (396), Trinidad and Tobago (106), Guyana (31), Antigua and Barbuda (15), Bahamas (33), Guatemala (77), Saint Vincent and Grenadines (7), Guadeloupe (139), Martinique (151), Puerto Rico (573), Saint Barthelemy (6), Aruba (71), Saint Martin (31), US Virgin Islands (43), and Cayman Islands (39).

Saint Lucia’s record of confirmed cases of COVID-19 remains at 14, with the last case recorded on Saturday, April 5, 2020. To date, there are 60 people in facility-based quarantine, 14 in home quarantine and 23 people in isolation.

From the week April 4th , 2020 to present we have received a total of 34 COVID-19 test results all of which were negative. The most recent set of results were received on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 when a total of 18 test results were received all of them being negative.

Effective Tuesday, April 7, 2020 the 24 hour curfew was reduced to a 10 hour curfew which runs from 7 p.m to 5 a.m daily. Some of the national protocols accompanying this reduced curfew include the continuation of the requirement to stay at home unless venturing out for food, medical or emergency purposes, maintaining the recommended 6 feet distance when in public, avoiding mass crowd events and social gatherings, and maintaining the recommended infection prevention and control measures.

We continue to advise the public to focus on the maintenance of standard recommendations to prevent the spread of infection.

These include: – – regular hand washing with soap and flowing water or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer where soap and water is not available. – – covering the mouth and nose with disposable tissues or clothing when coughing and sneezing. – – avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing. – – seeking medical attention and sharing travel history with health care providers if you have symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel.

We continue to advise on adhering the required social distancing as an effective strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19.