Court issues quarantine order for 15 persons

At least 15 persons, all of whom who appear be of Chinese descent, were ordered by the Serious Offences Court last Friday, February 14, to be placed under quarantine in relation to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

SEARCHLIGHT understands that a special sitting of the court was held last Friday evening with Chief Magistrate, Rechanne Browne presiding over the matter.

Counsels, Karen Duncan, and Duane Daniel ,also made appearances on behalf of applicant, Roger Duncan, the Medical Officer of Health-MOH.

And the order was passed, pursuant to the Public Health Act of 1977, for the isolation of persons exposed to infection.

According to the order, the court was satisfied that “the persons named in the Certificate of Health Officer may be in the incubation stage of the named notifiable disease and are not accommodated in such manner as adequately to guard against the spread of the disease and ought to be removed to a place of isolation”.

The order also said that the listed persons were to be detained for no less than 14 days until they are found to be free of infection or able to be discharged without danger to the public health.

The Ministry of Health, in a release dated February 16, said that three Chinese nationals (two residents and one citizen of St Vincent and the Grenadines) returned from China on February 12, after having left China two days prior.

It said none of the three travellers has shown any signs or symptoms of infection with COVID 19. However, as a precautionary measure, these three people and the 13 members of their household were placed under quarantine.

So far, 17 people, including a Vincentian national who returned to St Vincent and the Grenadines on February 7 from China, the epicentre of the coronavirus, have been placed under quarantine.