VIRUS CASES SPIKE BARBUDA AFTER RESIDENT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH INFECTED PERSON ON ANTIGUA; TWO MINORS DEEMED POSITIVE

Barbuda seems to be undergoing its own outbreak of the  COVID-19 virus.  Reports coming out of the sister-island indicate there are currently four active cases, while two suspected cases are awaiting PCR confirmation.

Additionally, the COVID-19 Task Force on Barbuda  has confirmed  a total of 11 persons in quarantine.

The infections came about after one Barbuda resident reportedly was in contact with a positive case on Antigua.  As a result, on August 12, Health officials carried out a Rapid Antigen Test on that person, and it was returned positive.

According to the Task Force, that same day, 17 primary and secondary contacts of this individual were also tested.  However, only one of them proved to be infected.

Both individuals were later swabbed and the samples sent for PCR testing  in Antigua;  both returned positive.

On Tuesday, August 17, four of the 17 persons who were initially tested on August 12 were re-tested due to mild symptoms they were exhibiting.

Reports are that all four tested positive with the Rapid Antigen Test. Two of the four were then swabbed for PCR testing and the samples were sent to Antigua.

The other two cases are minors and automatically have been considered positive by Rapid Testing due to their age.

An additional five new persons were tested as a result of contact tracing; however, all returned negative.