Argyle isolation facility to be ready soon – Minister

WORK is being carried out on a property at Argyle to ensure that an isolation facility is up and running soon.

Health Minister, Luke Browne revealed that the isolation facility will be ready in short order. And his announcement was made on the heels of St Vincent and the Grenadines’ first confirmed case of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

“The ministry is in an advanced stage of setting up an isolation centre in Argyle. Two public hospitals can be used as isolation facilities. The equipment necessary to allow us to perform in country tests for COVID 19 is being ordered,” Browne said during an emergency press conference on Wednesday night.

He told SEARCHLIGHT that one of the main facilities that will be used for isolation is the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

Browne was unable to give an exact completion time for the Argyle facility, but he assured that it would be ready soon.

Until then, SVG’s first COVID-19 patient is being isolated at her home. The patient, who is Vincentian national between age 30 and 35, arrived in St Vincent from the United Kingdom on March 7 and developed symptoms relating to the virus on March 10.

She is said to have reported her symptoms voluntarily and is cooperating with health officials. She is expected to make a full recovery as she is considered to have a mild case of COVID-19.