by Linda Straker
- Man and his family who are UK nationals, boarded an Air Canada flight before start of 24-hour mandatory curfew
- Decision was unknown to health authorities in Grenada
- Departure in violation of the Public Health Act
Health authorities have confirmed that one of Grenada’s nine Covid-19 confirmed patients has sneaked out of the country on an international flight.
He is one of 2 people who sat within close proximity to the index patient who arrived on a flight from the United Kingdom on 16 March 2020.
“We have information that one person left with their family,” said Dr George Mitchell who is the Coordinator of the Covid-19 Response Committee. Speaking as a virtual guest on the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN) daily “To-the-Point” programme, he said that the man left the island with his wife and child. He did not say when the man departed.
All persons tested positive for Covid-19, are placed in home quarantine once the symptoms are displayed. This is in keeping the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for home quarantine. They are required to keep in contact daily with the relevant health authorities.
Dr Mitchell, who is the immediate former Chief Medical Officer, did not provide details about the man on the programme, but research later revealed that the man’s decision was unknown to health authorities in Grenada. It is understood that the man and his family who are UK nationals, boarded an Air Canada flight before the start of the 24-hour mandatory curfew.
Grenada has accommodated several international airlines to arrive at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA) only for outgoing passengers mainly to Canada and the United States. There was an Air Canada flight on 24 March and one on 31 March. Grenada began the mandatory curfew on 30 March.
Dr Mitchell said that since this particular Covid-19 patient sneaked out, his local contact tracing has been robust. “It’s detective work,” he said. As a result of the departure of the patient which was in violation of the Public Health Act, Grenada’s current Covid-19 count stands at 8.
The index case, who is a 50-year-old female, infected 5 other family members who according to Dr Mitchell, are recovering.
He’s easily traceable and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law – very reckless to endanger the lives of others.
Is this an April fool’s prank for Grenadians. This isn’t making any sense at all. Because that individual would have placed his family, the passengers, that driver at risk. So this is nonsense.
Can someone please tell me, why foreign nationals on the island , who are diagnosed with the Covid -19 virus and are still considered to a public health risk be permitted to keep their passport? In many countries the passport of such persons is taken away until there are given the ok to travel.
Why are we always reactive instead of being proactive?
Please name the many countries. Also what Grenada is doing is exactly what the WHO recommends go easy with that knee jerk response.
I don’t know why Grenada should be ashamed people need to take responsibility for their actions , glad they left Grenada sorry the idiots will affect others hope the Grenada government report them and they get jailed
April fools ♀️?
If so…this would be in very poor taste.
Embarrassment is an understatement
Am not here to blame anyone but we were assured that all persons in Self quarantine were guarded by members of the RGPF. What happened then?
WHO should have law enforcement working along with them to punish persons like that.
Sad situation.
I gave an elderly man a pair of gloves and a mask to wear on that flight. Total stranger, I pray that he did.
Agreed. Pure foolishness. Grenada should be ashamed to admit that.
comments very naive. This is occurring globally. I guess the US, Italian, UK, Spain and all other nations are foolish also? What was the Grenadian officials supposed to do, sit on him in the middle of a pandemic? Adults are responsible for their actions. Communal spread of this disease real, and occurring because humans are being irresponsible. Administration’s around the globe are working hard to protect us, we’re not adhering to protocol
Exactly. I won’t bother adding anything to your comment. People have suddenly become experts on this matter it’s funny.
This just sounds like a stupid joke. This man is guilty of international crimes accross borders and jurisdictions and I hope he is persecuted and prosecuted.
As for Grenadian officials I don’t know what they’re guilty of but this is pure foolishness.
Why Grenada should be ashamed to admit that people need to be adults and take responsibility for their actions, glad they left home just sorry they will affect others
In some countries he would be charged as follows.
1: Armed with a dangerous weapon
2: Breach of WHO and PAHO and MOH Heath Act
3: Wreckless endangering of the life of each passenger on the flight including the crew
4: Endangering the lives of Grenada’s security force (immigration)
5: Endangering the lives of airline and security staff
6: Failure to comply with the local health authorities instruction
The Government of Grenada has stopped all routine commercial passenger airline traffic to and from Grenada. However, Air Canada has flights from Grenada to Toronto on March 24, 26, 28 and 31.