Second covid-19 linked death confirmed

Friday 03 April 2020

A second elderly person has died after testing positive for corona virus in Guernsey, as the Director of Public Health confirms the number of people with the virus are aged between "less than one year to well over their 80s".

Dr Nicola Brink was speaking at a press conference at lunchtime today where she updated the Bailiwick on the latest statistics relating to the pandemic and its impact on the islands.

The Bailiwick now has 114 positive results, of which two of those patients have died - both of whom have only been described as being in their 80s. 

Almost 80 people are still awaiting their test results, while more than 700 people have had negative results back. 

Pictured: The statistics above were accurate as at 13:00 on Friday 3 April. 

Dr Brink did not give any details about the 114 individuals who have been confirmed to test positive for covid-19 but she said they are among all age groups, with three babies now among those diagnosed. The babies are all believed to have tested positive within the last few days as on Monday Dr Brink said the youngest patient in Guernsey was a teenager. 

Speaking at lunchtime today, Dr Brink said: 

"The age range of people with covid-19 in the Bailiwick is from less than one year, to well over their 80s. The average age for people is 56, with a slightly higher age for men at 57 and females at 54."

Dr Brink later confirmed there are three patients aged under one in the statistics above, and that all three are "doing well". 

With a number of older people believed to be among those testing positive for the virus, Dr Brink also confirmed a cluster of cases have been confirmed within a second care home in Guernsey.

"We've introduced the appropriate precautions and interventions in that home. We have a total of 11 residents that have tested positive and two of their care workers, so again we're looking at how we can help them in these very difficult circumstances."

The name of both care homes involved with the clusters of cases identified have not been confirmed publicly to protect the identities of the patients who are resident there and the staff. The next of kin of the relatives will have been informed. 

Dr Brink also confirmed contact tracing is ongoing now the second cluster has been identified.

Pictured: Dr Brink speaking at today's press briefing. 

Addressing concerns over the way Guernsey's numbers seem to be increasing quicker than in other areas, Dr Brink explained how the Bailiwick's testing regime is being carried out, with more people being tested than in other areas.

"We are proactively looking for cases," she said, "we are going out into the community, and looking for cases. We have various programmes...to screen people, we have a lower threshold to screen people with respiratory symptoms, of any degree, no matter how mild they are. So we've been very proactive.

"If I was sitting in front of you, reporting in a similar way to what England are reporting, I would be saying to you we have five cases of covid-19, because that's how many we've had in our hospital. But we've opted because of our island jurisdiction, because we feel it's the right thing to do for the population of Guernsey, and Alderney and the population of the Bailiwick to proactively go out and look for cases. Hence our increase, or our number of cases.

"Testing per capita, per 100,000, we have a higher rate of testing per capita than our neighbouring jurisdictions."