Ninety-seven COVID-19 cases recorded at St. Cuthbert’s Mission

The Indigenous community of St. Cuthbert’s Mission has recorded 97 COVID-19 cases, according to Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony.

Anthony revealed yesterday during a COVID-19 update that testing on a wider scale has been conducted in the region to ascertain the severity of the situation in the community, which has been placed under lockdown.

“We have done about 130 more tests and we expect among those that we will see some amount of positive patients,” the minister said.

Since the initial reports of COVID-19 cases in the village, the minister noted that the Ministry of Health has been working along with officials there and will maintain a presence to monitor the situation. “We have been collaborating with the Toshao of the village and we are going to continue to have that presence and monitor and of course do more testing,” he said.

He further noted that while most COVID-19 positive villagers are isolated at home, two persons who had experienced respiratory challenges were on Monday removed from the village and hospitalised in order to ensure they are closely monitored.

Meanwhile, Anthony said that the health ministry intends to have a strengthened medical presence in the village to further assist in fighting the virus in the region.

The minister said, “We will strengthen our medical presence in St. Cuthbert’s Mission, we will add another doctor who would be based there for the next two to three weeks and we will add some additional medical staff there”.