Harrison’s Point facility to be handed over to Gov’t tomorrow

Work on the buildings at Harrison’s Point, St Lucy that will house the quarantine and isolation centre for COVID-19 is now complete.

At a virtual press conference this morning, Health Minister Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic revealed that the facility will be officially handed over to the Government on Monday and will be pressed into action as soon as final preparations are completed.

“The new medical facility at Harrison’s Point, which has been converted from abandoned ruin to a first-class hospital to 220 beds for the treatment of COVID-19 patients will be handed over by the contractors to the Ministry of Health and Wellness tomorrow.

“We will immediately begin the process of outfitting the facility with the required medical equipment so that it can be pressed into service in the shortest possible time,” he disclosed.

Minister Bostic today revealed that Barbados had recorded its first death from the respiratory illness, an 81-year-old Barbadian who returned from the United Kingdom on March 22 with his 83-year-old wife.

Officials said that the wife was admitted to the Enmore Facility last night.

There are now 56 confirmed cases of the virus.

Minister Bostic said Harrison’s Point provides the island with an additional 38 beds with ventilation capacity and 182 isolation beds for the critical care and treatment of COVID-19 patients.