Press Release
SAINT LUCIA’S NEW ISOLATION STRATEGY
The Ministry of Health and Wellness continues our focused efforts to manage the current surge in COVID-19 cases being diagnosed in Saint Lucia. The Ministry has utilized a mixed model of care which allowed for the management of mild cases to take place within communities. They have been monitored by a dedicated medical team overseeing cases being managed at home. This approach had been taken given that approximately 80% of people diagnosed with the virus experience fairly mild disease. As a result, a large number of our cases remain at home to isolate and receive care until they recover.
However, in undertaking routine reviews of the national plan to manage the COVID-19 outbreak which includes the treatment and care component, the Ministry of Health recognizes the need to adjust this model of care. There have recently been a large number of people currently being managed in community. This combined with inadequacy of some homes to give the required isolation as well as breaches has resulted in recent changes to the isolation strategy for our confirmed cases. Home isolation is now being transitioned to state-based isolation facilities. Effective immediately, this change now means that mild cases are being placed within hotel sites and the moderate to severe cases continue to be cared for within the national respiratory hospital. This allows for a greater degree of vigilance in the management of the milder COVID-19 cases, given home isolation cannot be effectively conducted for some individuals who are in care.

These changes have been made primarily to protect the health and safety of all, not only people diagnosed with the virus. It is expected that this new model will support efforts to contain the virus and will allow for more focused care being delivered to all our patients as their period of infection is being managed.
The Ministry of Health would like to thank the public for the support and cooperation in observing this policy.
For more information please contact the Office of the Chief Medical Officer or the
Epidemiology Unit, at 468-5309/468-5317 respectively

Press Release
SAINT LUCIA RECORDS CASES #1030 TO #1106 OF COVID-19
Today Thursday January 28, 2021 the Ministry of Health and Wellness received confirmation of seventy-seven new cases of COVID-19 tested at the Ezra Long Laboratory. Confirmation was also received of the recovery of sixty-three individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 bringing the
total number of active cases currently in country to 505. One of the active cases is in critical
care at the Respiratory Hospital and all of the others are stable.
The individuals range in age from 2 years to 77 years. They are from the Babonneau, Anse La
Raye, Gros-Islet, Micoud, Soufriere, Castries, Laborie and Dennery districts. All of these
individuals were seen at a community respiratory clinic for assessment and were tested for
COVID-19. As per the testing protocol, they were placed in quarantine by health care
practitioners while awaiting their COVID-19 test results. Arrangements have since been made to
place these individuals in isolation. The contact tracing team is undertaking investigations to
identify the contacts of these confirmed cases.
The Ministry of Health continues to manage the backlog of COVID-19 tests conducted at the
Ezra Long Laboratory. Persons who have been tested are asked to remain in quarantine until
communicated via telephone with test results.
Everyone is asked to remain vigilant and to continue practicing the behaviors which will help to
reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

• Frequently wash hands your with flowing water and soap
• Wear a mask when in public places and ensure it covers the mouth, nose and chin
  
• Maintain a six foot distance from others wherever possible
• Use a bleach solution to sanitize frequently touched surfaces and frequently handled objects
• Avoid contact with other people who have flu-like symptoms
  If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, it is important to keep away from others and to urgently
  seek medical care at your closest community respiratory clinic for assessment.
  The new cases now bring the total number of cases diagnosed in country to date to 1106.
  The Ministry of Health and Wellness will continue providing updates to the public as new
  information becomes available.
  For more information please contact the Office of the Chief Medical Officer or the Epidemiology
  Unit, at 468-5309/468-5317 respectively

Press Release
SAINT LUCIA RECORDS CASES #970 TO #1029 OF COVID-19
The Ministry of Health and Wellness received confirmation of sixty new cases of COVID-19 from
the Ezra Long Laboratory late Wednesday January 27, 2021. This is from a batch of 258 samples
which were tested. Confirmation was also received of the recovery of thirty individuals diagnosed
with COVID-19 bringing the total number of active cases in country to date to 491. Currently, one
of the active cases is in critical care at the Respiratory Hospital and all of the others are stable.
The new cases now bring the total number of cases diagnosed in country to date to 1029.
All of the sixty cases are Saint Lucian nationals who range in age from 4 years to 76 years. They are
from the Castries, Soufriere, Anse La Raye, Vieux- Fort, Gros-Islet, Dennery, Babonneau, Micoud
and Choiseul districts. All of these individuals were seen at community-based respiratory clinics
where they were assessed and tested for COVID-19. As per protocol, they were placed in quarantine
by health care practitioners while awaiting their COVID-19 test results. Arrangements have since
been made to place these individuals into isolation. The contact tracing team is undertaking
investigations to identify the contacts of these confirmed cases.
The Ministry of Health reminds every one that we are all vulnerable to the COVID-19 and therefore
we should take personal responsibility to protect ourselves, family and loved ones. Given that there
is increased numbers of COVID-19 cases and risk of transmission, we ask that everyone continue
practicing the infection prevention and control measures to reduce the spread of the virus:

• Frequently wash hands your with flowing water and soap
• Wear a mask when in public places and ensure it covers the mouth, nose and chin
  Maintain a six foot distance from others wherever possible
• Use a bleach solution to sanitize frequently touched surfaces and frequently handled objects
• Avoid contact with other people who have flu-like symptoms
  If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, it is important to keep away from others and to urgently seek
  medical care at your closest community respiratory clinic for assessment.
• 
  The Ministry of Health and Wellness will continue providing updates to the public as new information
  becomes available.