PNP wants Gov’t to issue quarantine order for St Mary

The People’s National Party (PNP) has asserted that the absence of a quarantine order for three St Mary communities is adding to the state of confusion.

The 14-day measure began on Thursday in Dover, Enfield and Annotto Bay at 6 a.m.

“The lack of proper advanced planning and effective implementation for the provision of social services are undermining the fight to contain the spread of the coronavirus,” read a section of the PNP release.

Thirteen cases had been confirmed among the communities, prompting the health ministry to place the areas under quarantine to slow or prevent new exposures.

St Mary has a total of 16 cases.

Two new cases

Last evening, the health ministry reported two more confirmed cases of COVID-19 and four additional recoveries.

The two new cases are males aged 35 and 57 years.

The older male is a contact of a confirmed patient while the other remains under investigation.

There are 490 cases islandwide and 62 recoveries, while nine patients have succumbed to the virus.

Shadow Minister on Justice, Senator Donna Scott Mottley, lambasted the Government, stating that, “You cannot declare this sort of edict by news release.” She called on the Government to declare a quarantine order and “make it public so that residents can be assured that there will be adequate opportunities for them to secure provisions and carry out business essential to life”.

Meanwhile, PNP Deputy Spokesman on Health, Dr Shane Alexis, said that residents of Annotto Bay exposed themselves to “unnecessary dangers through social crowding to source food” on Friday.

“The absence of clear direction and strategy from the prime minister again, threatens to undermine the objectives of our public health team,” said Alexis who is also the caretaker for St Mary South East.