Chinese Nationals Arrive In Grenada On Private Flight; Screened For Coronavirus Risk

By Linda Straker
CMC Correspondent

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, January 28, 2020 (CMC) – The Grenada government has confirmed that a chartered flight from China, with eight people on board, had arrived here, during the early hours of Tuesday, and that all the passengers had been screened for the deadly coronavirus that has been blamed for more than 100 deaths in the Far East country.

Health Minister, Nikolas Steele, speaking to reporters at the weekly post-Cabinet press conference, said that the chartered flight, which originated from Beijing, landed at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA), and all of the passengers were screened for symptoms, associated with the novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

“All flights, private or commercial, are monitored and screened. That was a private flight, because I have seen rumours and I inquired, and I can assure you that, the flight was met by healthcare workers, and everybody on broad that flight were screened,” Steele told reporters.

He said that “like all other passengers, where there is a point of origin, close to China, at this point in time, they are consistently monitored, while they are here”.

“The flight originated, as far as I am aware, in Beijing. It is a business flight, I think, with eight passengers on it. It is a private flight, so it did not interact with other commercial passengers, or at a commercial port, where…the risk could have been much higher,” said Steele, reminding reporters that the Chinese authorities are ensuring that nobody can leave China without screening.

“And we also check on this end, as well, so it is double coverage; the same with commercial flights, but there is more of a risk when someone travels on a commercial flight, but there is screening at all ports, when you leave as well as when you enter,” he said, while not sharing the Grenada address of the visitors.

Steele said that the authorities were aware of the flight coming to Grenada, “about two or three days ago, and we checked and confirmed, and discussed with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) as to any risk or the level of risk involved”.

“We got an assertive answer and response from them; there is higher or just as much risk of someone transiting, through one of the major international ports,” said the Health Minister.

“This is not something unique to Grenada that we must write a playbook on our own. This is an international agenda or issue, an international threat.

“Grenada is a member of the Pan American Health Organisation and the World Health Organisation and we have active participation,” Steele said, as he answered a question about the risk and possibility of transmission through ports of entry.

Grenada and other Caribbean territories are classified by the World Health Organisation and Pan American Health Organisation to be of moderate risk for transmission of the coronavirus. There is currently no case in the region.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness, ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.