US Warns Against Travel To St. Lucia

By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY., Weds. Sept. 1, 2021: The US has warned against travel to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia due to a spike in COVID-19 cases there.

The news comes as the island has reached 8,219 cases of COVID-19 with 1,933 being active cases. To date, there are 104 deaths.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs on Tuesday confirmed 64 new cases of COVID-19 from a total of 255 samples processed at the Ezra Long Laboratory on Monday August 30, 2021.

Tourism Minister, Dr. Ernest Hilaire, expressed concern over Saint Lucia being put on the ‘Very High’ travel risk list of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) but noted: “We are working very steadfastly to control the numbers and bring them down to acceptable levels.”

Meanwhile, Loop News quoted sources as saying about 20 members of the laboratory staff of the St Jude Hospital tested positive for COVID-19 and have been in home quarantine since last week.

An also is investigation underway at the Saint Lucia National Mental Wellness Center amid rumors that nearly a dozen nurses and employees, in addition to twice as many patients, tested positive for the virus.

According to reports, many nurses have refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine, a hurdle for public health officials as Saint Lucia struggles to achieve 90 per cent population immunity.