Diexter Thomas
A BREAKOUT of COVID-19 has occurred at the children’s health centre in Europort, authorities confirmed today.
At the same time, three elderly persons from the Hillside residential home have now fully recovered from the Coronavirus.
There are 131 confirmed cases in the British territory, 26 of which are active, with 105 patients having recovered.
Those 26 active cases are all at home and 154 swab tests are still to be analysed.
A total of 1753 tests have been made since Gibraltar’s first case in early March.
Some six GHA staff working at the Children’s Heath Centre have been diagnosed with the virus.
“The whole facility of the Children’s Heath Centre will be decontaminated,” said Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia.
Garcia said that more details of how it happened will be shared by Health and Care Minister Paul Balban on April 16.
Of these GHA staff, five have been asked to self-isolate at home and one has been sent to the COVID-19 ward at St Bernard’s Hospital.
All staff have been swabbed and dental facilities have seen a ‘deep clean’ of all the clinics and waiting rooms.
Despite this, the Deputy Chief Minister said that there is still ‘some hope’ despite the drastic changes to people’s lifestyles due to the pandemic.
“The number of people in self isolation is down, the numbers of calls to the 111 hotline is also down and the number of people with confirmed COVID in hospital is down as well,” he reported.
However, Garcia urged the public that there is ‘no room for complacency’ and that now is ‘no time to take risks’.
RISKY BUSINESS
People continue to be arrested for breaking the lockdown rules to keep people safe in Gibraltar.
Last weekend a 22-year-old male was arrested for attempted aggravated burglary after trying to break into a home in Upper Town with a hammer while on court bail.
Another attempted burglary took place yesterday morning when a 29-year-old gained access to an enclosed patio area at a residence in the South District and was arrested by police.
Both of these people breached civil contingency regulations by leaving their homes without a valid purpose.
A 20-year-old was arrested for the breaking the rules after police stopped him twice in one day while in his vehicle without a valid reason.
A 58-year-old staying at Garrison Gym at Europa Road couldn’t give officers a valid reason to be away from his residence either.
The male became obstructive to officers, swearing at them and he was restrained in handcuffs to appear in court today.
