Diexter Thomas
GIBRALTAR’S active COVID-19 cases are now the lowest they have been since March 26, with recoveries rising daily.
A total of 113 people have recovered from the Coronavirus and there are now 21 active cases, all at home.
However the number of active cases could rise after swab test results come back after the outbreak on Wednesday at the Children’s Health Centre.
The number of tests done in Gibraltar amounts to 1,859, with 1,799 results received so far.
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said he was pleased with these statistics, especially as Gibraltar has not lost a life to COVID-19 yet, ‘although it seems inevitable that at some stage we might.’
The regulations which restrict people over 70 from leaving their homes will now be reviewed every week along with all the other lockdown measures.
“The advice I’m getting suggests that we will not be easing the lock-down measures on Monday,” said Picardo.
“The statistics we’re seeing suggests things are moving in the right direction, but we have not reached our destination.”
A new cabinet committee called SAGE has been developed to help advise the government on the Coronavirus situation along with the department of Public Health.
Businesses in security, property, courier and freight, cleaning and wholesalers can now apply for the BEAT COVID payment scheme for inactive employees for one calendar month.
The BEAT scheme by the government has seen a total of 5,700 applications from businesses in the private sector.
Healthcare
The Director of Public Health Sohail Bhatti made note of plans to conduct random testing of front line workers in Gibraltar.
In addition to healthcare workers, the survey will also include tests for custom officers, police officers, carers and ERS staff.
This will be done to give these workers the confidence that they won’t be putting clients or patients at risk of getting the virus.
In a recent survey, 38 samples were randomly tested at ERS and all results have come back negative.
Regarding Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) in Gibraltar, Bhatti told media that they have enough protection equipment to last for up to two months.
