BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO
TEST results to two suspected cases of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) are likely to be made available to health authorities today, it is reported.
Minister of Health and Medical Services, Mr Dickson Mua, told Island Sun this on Tuesday 17th March in an interview.
The samples were airlifted to Melbourne, Australia, for testing; the first was sent on Friday last week, and the second on Sunday this week.
If any of the results returns positive then the country will officially have its first Coronavirus case.
Health Minister Mua said, “hopefully the results could be received today (Tuesday 17th March) if not tomorrow (Wednesday 18th March).”
Reiterating the need for public to remain calm and allow health authorities and stakeholders to continue their job of keeping the country ready for any entry by covid-19, permanent secretary for Health and Medical, Mrs Pauline McNeil said health authorities are waiting for results to the two samples, and “when we know of the results then we can say if there is an infected case in the country, but now it’s only suspected.
“The country has not yet had any confirmed case of COVID-19.
“In preparing for the worst, health authorities are getting an isolation ward ready at the National Referral Hospital (NRH), a triage area is also being set up where persons can be assessed.”
Meanwhile, a good number of people who had been quarantined were released yesterday following 14 days of being kept isolated and successfully passing tests and showing no signs of covid-19.
