Increase in COVID-19 Cases in 3 Northern Communities
Marvin Manzanero
At this time, the Ministry of Health has a team of officers working in the north where there is an uptick in COVID-19 cases. The ministry is keeping its eyes on San Felipe, August Pine Ridge, and Yo Creek where a large number of samples are being collected. In San Felipe, for instance, twenty-five persons connected to one family are showing signs and symptoms; two of whom have since tested positive. Today, we asked the D.H.S. about this growing situation in these northern villages.
Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services
“Some of the communities that we had initially put out there, communities that were specifically flagged as being on a state of emergency, Guinea Grass, Santa Martha and Ship Yard – most of these communities, particularly Ship Yard, has done well in terms of being able to contain it. But you have other communities that are starting to become a concern. And the three communities we mentioned to minister and I think he briefed cabinet earlier today are Yo Creek, August Pine Ridge and San Felipe. So, we have a good amount of samples being collected from these communities now for processing because we feel that there are ongoing cases in there that might be escalating and what you want to avoid is also mortality. And we are seeing people, particularly in the north, have severe cases that they show up and die and we have to make the diagnosis post-mortem and that is what we are trying to avoid. So, early intervention and the team is doing contact tracing of all the potential suspect cases in those communities.”
Andrea Polanco
“There was a swabbing [exercise] scheduled to take place today in San Felipe?”
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
“I know that a single family – and it is an extended family in San Felipe we had twenty-five swabs taken up to yesterday and of course that number increases as you go and move into specific communities. So, with one family alone had twenty-five, with two members already confirmed and pending samples to be processed so yeah it can potentially be more than that. And that is why those three communities are the ones that are immediate concerns for us right now.”
