We would like to at least test all of the persons who were in contact with positive cases – Dr. Shamdeo Persaud
Appearing on COVID-19 Conversation Programme on NCN, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persuad disclosed that the Ministry of Public Health is considering a mobile unit for the collection of samples to those exposed to the virus depending on the availability of test kits.
“We would like to at least test all of the persons who were in contact with positive cases or who had direct or indirect contact with those cases,” Dr. Persuad said.
Dr. Persaud believes that with the capacity of The National Public Health Laboratory to process 48 samples on an eight-hour shift along with the mobile unit, access to some of the hard to reach areas and rural communities to provide testing will be a possibility.
On March 26 2020, Minister of Public Health, Hon. Volda Lawrence announced at a daily COVID-19 update that the Ministry received a total of 1,100 test kits from the Pan American Health Organisation, bringing the total to 1800. To date, 213 tests were completed with a total of 47 confirmed cases, six deaths and eight recoveries.
