Although the Caribbean region has been listed as low risk to the recent outbreak of China originated coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, Minister of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs and Local Government, Hon. Kindra Maturine-Stewart, met with health professionals, immigration, police, airport and port authority representatives in Carriacou to best develop a contingency plan not only for the threats posed by the recent 2019-nCoV, but one that will safeguard the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique from future outbreaks.
The plan being developed entails health declaration and probing questionnaires, the establishment of quarantine and an isolation area, heightened surveillance and the operation of handheld thermometers at the islands’ ports of entry.
Minister Maturine-Stewart said that with Carriacou and Petite Martinique being directly connected to islands such as St Vincent and the Grenadines, measures must be put into place for the safety of citizens of Grenada on a whole from all places of entry.
She added that a similar meeting will take place on the island of Petite Martinique on Thursday evening to further discuss the plan with stakeholders and residents on the island.
Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs
This meeting was six weeks ago and since then very little information has been forthcoming from the ministry. Yacht crews are locked down in carriacou/petit martinique and barred from the shore even those that have been here well prior to this outbrake, in fact nearly all vessels have left for mainland Grenada where apparently the lockdown is not being applied. Known persons who arrived on the Virgin Atlantic flight from London with the confirmed case are apparently free to move around carriacou. People are asking the ministry to be kept informed and up to date.