9 Ghanaian nurses test positive for COVID-19 in Barbados

At least 9 of the 95 nurses from Ghana who arrived in Barbados late July on a two-year contract have tested positive for COVID-19, health officials have confirmed.

The Chief Medical Officer of Best Dos-Santos Public health Laboratory, Dr Kenneth George, disclosed on Saturday at a press conference monitored by DailyMailGH.com.

The tests were conducted on 248 persons out of which nine of the Ghanaian nurses came out positive with the rest returning negative.

Dr. George said all of them were showing no symptoms and “are likely to be in the recovery phase”, with only one person’s indicators pointing to being in the acute phase. He said everyone who tested positive was immediately placed in isolation.

Dr. George said all of the nurses went into 14-day quarantine immediately they arrived in the country. He also advised all of those who attended the ceremony at the Grantley Adams International Airport to welcome the nurses – to “separate themselves from their work places” “out of an abundance of caution”, and the Ministry would arrange for them to be tested.

The Ghanaian nurses arrived in Barbados on Thursday, July 30, 2020 through a chartered flight, Azores Airlines on a special programme between the two governments.

They are made up of 49 women and 46 men, who have signed on to assist with healthcare in the Caribbean country.

They were met by the Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, newly-installed Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins and Executive Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland, with salutes and elbow bumps.

The Health Minister said while their arrival was a long time in coming, he was glad they had finally landed.

“These nurses will be working at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital as well as the primary healthcare sector, that is the Geriatric Hospitals and polyclinics,” he said.

Daily Mail GH