TCI: Older woman and child tested for COVID-19; results returned negative

#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — Turks and Caicos Government and Health officials on Sunday revealed that the results of COVID-19 tests for a seven-year-old boy and a 61-year old tourist woman are negative and that keeps the islands free of the coronavirus.

“As of Wednesday, we had five samples collected; two on Wednesday. One was for a seven-year-old child and a 67-year old visitor to the Turks and Caicos and an additional three samples were collected from adults who were visitors as well as residents of the Turks and Caicos.  We are pleased to say we have received negative results for all persons,”said Dr. Nadia Astwood, TCI Director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, Agriculture, Sports and Human Services.

Tests on the samples, explained Dr. Astwood were conducted in The Bahamas at the Ministry of Health Reference Lab and at the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s laboratory in Trinidad and Tobago.

“However, I would remind the public to remain prepared and to take the necessary precautions.  I don’t want persons to become complacent.  You must be prepared and continue to practice proper hygiene,” said Dr. Astwood.

The decision to test the five individuals in the Turks and Caicos Islands was based on the World Health Organization suspected case definition, which is:

1. a patient with acute respiratory illness (that is, fever and at least one sign or symptom of respiratory disease, for example, cough or shortness of breath) AND with no other etiology that fully explains the clinical presentation AND a history of travel to or residence in a country, area or territory that has reported local transmission of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to symptom onset

or

• a patient with any acute respiratory illness AND who has been a contact of a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms

The Turks and Caicos today has 12 individuals in quarantine.