COVID-19 outbreak at Psychiatric Hospital

A COVID-19 cluster has been detected at the lone Psychiatric Hospital, Minister of Health Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic announced Friday.

Among the total number of overall daily infections reported by the minister, the largest cluster of cases was from the mental health hospital.

Lt Col Bostic disclosed that 63 cases were recorded on Friday at the Psychiatric Hospital and about 46 on Thursday.

“This is something that we have had to do before not only at the Psychiatric Hospital. We have been dealing with a situation at the St Michael District Hospital and we have also been dealing with two elderly care facilities all at the same time,” said the minister.

“But I am happy to report that given what has been happening at these other facilities that I have the greatest confidence in Dr Corey Forde and his team to be able to successfully manage this developing situation.”

Dr Forde, who is in charge of isolation facilities, expanded on the outbreak at the mental institution.

“In the Grassfield Ward, of the 56 persons tested, 43 were positive. In the C Ward, a total of 65 persons were tested as a result of contact tracing. 64 were found to be infected.  The staff affected were 12,” the Infectious Disease Specialist disclosed.

He, too, was optimistic that healthcare professionals can overcome this new outbreak.

“We have been in the Psychiatric before and nothing beats experience. We have been there before [albeit] we are dealing with the more infectious variant of the Delta. We will do everything possible we can do to help those who cannot help themselves,” said Dr Forde.

Some 2,555 tests were conducted on Thursday at the Best Dos Santos Laboratory,  producing 427 new positives – a record daily rate – of which 70 were children. (EJ)