CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - THREE days after a security breach at a hotel on Nevis, the National COVID-19 Task Force has provided details on that and also another one that occurred on the island.
Reports were made public about several individuals who had breached the Federation’s Quarantine Regulations and were able to move around the island.
It was not until late last Saturday (Mar. 13) evening that details about the extent of the breaches were made public by the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC).
In a media statement, the NEOC informed that there were two security breaches that occurred within the past four days at a resort on Nevis that was approved to offer guests a ‘vacation in place’ quarantine option, which permits guests who test negative for Covid-19 upon arrival.
An investigation revealed that the first of the two incidents occurred on Thursday (Mar. 11) evening and had involved two guests, who the NEOC statement described as “illegally left the resort’s premises for approximately two hours”.
It was reported that the second security breach took place on Saturday (Mar. 13) morning and had involved six guests, who also managed to leave the resort’s compound without authorisation.
This is the fourth breach of the security protocols at a quarantine facility in the Federation over the last several months. In fact, the first occurred in December last year when a tourist, who had tested positive, had left the quarantine facility for the airport before receiving a negative test for clearance.
According to the police, he was found in the departure lounge at the RLB International Airport, where he was arrested and subsequently charged.
The tourist, 33-year-old George Mc Cumisky of Texas, United States of America, was found guilty and EC$4,800 or US$1,777.
In the second instance, which is still not clear, Superintendent Cromwell Henry reported to the nation that a positive case was inadvertently discharged from quarantine and allowed to travel in public transportation before being returned to the quarantine facility.
Details of how that lapse occurred were never made public. But at a media brief following public outcry, Medical Chief of Staff Dr. Cameron Wilkinson explained that the person was not able to travel on public transportation and all the individuals with whom the person came into contact were placed in quarantine.
In relation to the latest breach on Nevis, the NEOC is advising the public that “all eight of the individuals have been removed from the resort and are now housed in a Government quarantine site until their departure, while they await a hearing before the magistrate to answer the charges of breaking the country’s quarantine regulations”.
The group was given a vacation in place priority, which has since been rescinded because of the repeated breaches, the National Task Force stated.
Noticeably absent from the Task Force’s statement is the location where the breach occurred and why stricter measures were not in place.
It was just recently that NEOC officials revealed that they would be carrying out checks at various quarantine sites to determine if they are suitable and if changes need to be made.
But this latest breach has raised concerns about security at all facilities and whether any of those persons would have been tested positive for.
Now the Task Force is seeking to carry out deep contact tracing to determine and locate all individuals with whom they came into contact.
The NEOC did not identify the “night spot” that the individuals were present.COVID-19
“This process will result in the quarantine and testing of the individuals who may have been exposed to the eight guests of the resort, in an effort to control the spread of infection should any of the eight guests test positive for COVID-19. The National COVID-19 Task Force remains vigilant in working with all state agencies to protect our Country’s borders, control the spread of infection, and ensure enforcement of the COVID-19 (Prevention & Control) Act and its related Statutory Rules & Orders (SROs),” the statement added.
