Ambassador Liz Thompson is back home and has tested positive for COVID-19
Below is the full statement issued by the Ministry of Health and Wellness:
Ambassador Liz Thompson is in Barbados and has tested positive for the COVID virus.
The Ambassador has no symptoms of the disease and is feeling perfectly well.
The Ambassador travelled to Barbados yesterday afternoon from New York, which is the epicenter of the COVID outbreak in the United States.
Ms Thompson arrived on a private jet and was tested at Paragon immediately after her arrival. This morning we received information that her test was positive. There was one other passenger on the plane on which the Ambassador travelled. That passenger was also tested; that test is negative.
Ms Thompson came to Barbados to be at the bedside of her 95-year-old mother who became gravely ill with a heart condition (non-COVID related condition) on the weekend. Given the gravity of her mother’s condition, she was allowed to go to her mother’s bedside. The senior Mrs Thompson is being kept comfortable at her home.
Since going to her mother’s residence, the Ambassador has had no contact with the members of that household other than her mother. Ms Thompson was wearing a mask from the moment she got off the plane and has been practising physical distancing. She will, from today, go into isolation at Harrison’s Point.
Despite not having contact with members of the household, the Ministry of Health is taking the usual precaution of testing family members. All precautionary measures and protocols are being observed.
The Ministry of Health will continue to deal with this situation as it has all other cases in Barbados.
Ambassador Thompson and her family are cooperating fully with the Ministry, but she is appealing to the public not to contact the family given her mother’s very grave and deteriorating condition.
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Am i to understand that you can fly out of New York without being tested for Covid -19? Has implications for a reopened tourist industry, one would think..
Ridiculous. Many persons from all over the world cannot be with loved ones as they are either in hospital or dying.
According to this news report You can because they have a private jet … they can do whatever they want if u have money n power ….no matter what lives that’s in danger..
Sorry to hear wish her a speedy recovery . And hoping her mum condition woul improve., God bless
I did not know, that wearing a mask stops a positive person from spreading the virus to others.
She came on a private jet,not a commercial airline.
Ms Thompson arrived on a private jet and was tested at Paragon immediately after her arrival. This morning we received information that her test was positive. There was one other passenger on the plane on which the Ambassador travelled. That passenger was also tested; that test is negative.
When were our borders reopened?
What happened to being taken automatically into Quarantine?
@ Rodney: This has been a major problem for the Caribbean. You would think that would be a major concern for the U.S given the close and enclosed situation on a plane. But it seems the U.S is fine with exporting the virus, but was first to ban flights from known infected countries. They be a requirement to be tested before getting on a plane. It would ensure the safety of other passengers and crew members as well as reducing the spread in other territories. Most of our were imported.
Please don’t tell me that our government despite going cap in hand to the IMF paid to charter this plane ….