ABS employees say offices need to be cleaned and sanitized since there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 among staff

Workers at the State’s media house, ABS, are asking that management have the premises cleaned and sanitized following what they say are confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19.

Sources tell REAL News that three of their colleagues have been stricken by the virus, while another three or four are believed to have contracted it and are out sick.

They allege that other employees, still on the job, are “coughing heavy-heavy all around the place,” and this is sparking fears that these persons, too, could be infected and spreading the highly contagious illness.

The sources say they are putting their concerns “out there,” in the public domain, in the hope of spurring the station’s management to “clean out the place” and protect their health.

At this time of year, especially following the annual Sailing Week activities, many residents routinely come down with some variation of the flu – as appears to be the case, at present.  

However, it was only yesterday, Tuesday, May 23, that our Newsroom was asked to investigate the “highly contagious” illness that had forced the Ministry of Health to place three or four West African migrants into isolation, reportedly at the Infectious Diseases Unit on the Holberton compound.

Following speculation and rumours about that situation, the Health authorities were compelled to admit, in April, that there was, in fact, a serious illness among the group.  But they were quick to claim that it had been contained and there was no threat of spread among the population.

While REAL News has inquired into the nature of the illness – as well as the current rumour that one of these patients has expired – there was no confirmation from our usual sources.  

In fact, one healthcare professional tells our Newsroom that even the doctors in the Government’s employ are being kept in the dark on certain matters.