As of Tuesday December 15, 2020 Saint Lucia has recorded a total of 278 confirmed cases of COVID-19. A total of 17,801 tests have been processed to date. We have a total of 243 recoveries, 31 active cases and 4 total COVID-19 related deaths. There are presently no critical cases in care. There are no new cases reported today, Tuesday December 15, 2020. We take the opportunity to acknowledge the communities, business sector, faith based organizations, hospitality industry and other partners who continue to support the national effort in the management of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness continues to monitor both the global and regional situational analysis as we assess our risks and make recommendations. We note the steady rate of increase in cases in most countries as they experience their second wave. We continue to monitor closely and we learn from the best practices implemented as we strengthen the existing protocols.

As countries open their borders, and social and economic activity increases, the risk for transmission also increases. Saint Lucia, just like the rest of the world remains at high risk for the introduction of COVID-19. Our main risks include increased number of returning nationals and visitors from areas of high incidence of disease, illegal entry through the borders, nonadherence of protocols, breaches to home quarantine and hosting of mass crowd social events. Every visitor, returning national and illegal entrants must be managed as a possible positive COVID-19 case. It is imperative that we remain vigilant at this time to keep ourselves and our families safe.

As we celebrate the Christmas season, let us all remain on alert and continue to play our part to protect the health and safety of our family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. We ask all to minimize their movements, avoid social gatherings and other activities which will bring about greater exposure to the virus.

Let us continue practicing the infection prevention and control measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19: - Wash your hands during the day using soap and flowing water - Wear a mask in public places and ensure it covers the mouth, chin and nose - Maintain a distance of six feet from others - Use a bleach solution to sanitize frequently touched surfaces and frequently handled objects - Avoid contact with other people who have flu-like symptoms - If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, keep away from others and seek medical care at the closest community respiratory clinic.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness will continue providing updates as new information becomes available. For more information please contact the Office of the Chief Medical Officer or the Epidemiology Unit, at 468-5309/468-5325 respectively.