St. George’s: Nov. 8, 2020: A medical doctor and his wife, who arrived in Grenada from the United States on Sunday, November 1st, have been laboratory diagnosed by the Ministry of Health as Grenada’s 31st and 32nd cases of COVID-19.

The two individuals, ages 65 and 53, were approved for home quarantine, and received their PCR tests on Thursday, November 5th, as per the protocols of Grenada. While awaiting their results, the individuals left their home and visited four restaurant facilities in the South of the Island.

Health officials immediately moved to isolate the couple upon confirmation of their positive test results. The restaurants were immediately informed, and the contact tracing team was also instantly engaged to source and quarantine all potential contacts of the couple. 

The restaurant managers have provided the logs that they are required to keep of all guests, and those have proven crucial in the tracking process. 

The Ministry reassures the public that every effort is employed to find and isolate anyone who may have been exposed. The two individuals have been transferred to state-approved isolation and are being actively monitored. 

The Royal Grenada Police Force was notified of the violation, as per the dictates of the Emergency Regulations of Grenada enacted during this ongoing pandemic.

Home quarantine everywhere, while being the internationally accepted practice, has proven to be a less than perfect system. In the last week, understanding the lack of capacity to effectively monitor, test and provide timely test results to everyone who requests to quarantine at home, the Ministry drastically reduced the number of approvals granted. This has created more security in operations, and more efficiency in the testing process. As in every challenge posed by COVID-19, the Ministry is continuously amending and improving its operations through comprehensive engagements with stakeholders to effectively control, as far as is possible, any potential spread of the virus.

The Ministry’s ongoing responsibilities are to advance mechanisms to guard the borders, quarantine, monitor, test and trace, and to continue to educate the public on all things related to COVID-19, but the public’s assistance in all these areas are pivotal for success.

As always, the Ministry of Health underscores the importance of personal responsibility in containing this disease. Individuals must take ownership of their health and that of others by being mindful of their actions—practicing good hygiene, maintaining physical distancing of at least six feet, wearing a mask in public, and adhering to all the protocols mandated for the preservation of health and safety.