No link found in Tourists COVID cases; Epidemiology Department needs resource investment for faster work

#TurksandCaicos, July 22, 2021 – The Epidemiology Department should be working faster, if it were, officials would know if there is any link between the recent cases of COVID in the tourist community.  At least three separate tourist families make up the cases of Covid-19 which have been recorded among guests to the Turks and Caicos Islands. 

Such an unusual occurrence for TCI, it has many asking questions including whether or not the guests were vaccinated and whether these guests were exposed to the coronavirus at the same resort or at the same event or while enjoying the same service.  The latter fact is unknown, and in speaking with E Jay Saunders, Minister of Health and Deputy Premier he revealed that the health team is “concerned”. 

He also said, the fact that he is unable to report what is ground zero for these cases, exposes a defect.  That defect, is the Epidemiology Department must be better resourced so that it can carry out its contact tracing activities more vigorously. Saunders says he is prepared to make the investment to improve the capacity of Epidemiology. 

At this stage, it is unclear if the three guest families are connected in any way, which could explain the ‘anomaly’. 

None of the infected in this recent rash of new infections are break out cases, which means the people now infected with Covid-19 are all unvaccinated said Hon Saunders.   

There are currently 30 cases of Covid-19 active; four new recoveries were logged on Tuesday.