COVID-19 pandemic in Saint Kitts and Nevis


The COVID-19 pandemic in Saint Kitts and Nevis is part of the ongoing viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019, which was confirmed to have reached Saint Kitts and Nevis on 24 March 2020. By 19 May, all cases had recovered, with the disease reappearing on 4 July.

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.

Timeline

March 2020

On 24 March 2020, a 21-year-old male and a 57-year-old female that arrived in the federation from New York City became the first two confirmed cases of COVID-19. Both are nationals of St Kitts and Nevis.
On 28 March 2020, St Kitts and Nevis recorded five additional cases of COVID-19 bringing the total number of confirmed cases to seven. "These cases involved three females and two males who are all citizens of St Kitts and Nevis. The females were aged 10 months, 24 years and 36 years, while the two male patients were 29 years and 39 years,” Minister of State with responsibility for Health, Sen. the Hon Wendy Phipps said in a statement. She said all five of these cases are travel related “meaning that the cases were imported into the Federation”. “This determination was made based on the patients’ travel history to St Maarten and Antigua during the period March 6 to 13, 2020,” the junior health minister said.
On 29 March 2020, St Kitts and Nevis recorded one additional case of COVID-19 bringing the total number of confirmed cases to eight. The Minister of State with responsibility for Health, Sen. the Hon Wendy Phipps disclosed that "The patient is a 51-year-old female who is citizen of St Kitts and Nevis and resident on Nevis".
On 31 March 2020, a full lockdown went into effect. From 19:00 31 March until 06:00 3 April, there is a 24-hour curfew. The lockdown was later extended to 07:00 9 April, and further extended to 18 April with two days of partial lockdown in order to buy essential goods. The lockdown was once again extended to 25 April.

April 2020

On 1 April 2020, a 9th case was reported. St Kitts and Nevis recorded one additional case of COVID-19 and brought the total number confirmed cases to nine. The patient was a citizen of St Kitts and Nevis and resident on Nevis,” Sen Phipps informed the nation at a 3:p,m. update.
On 4 April 2020, St. Kitts and Nevis recorded one additional case of COVID-19. Junior Minister of Health, Senator Wendy Phipps announced it brought the total number of confirmed cases to 10. The patient was a 66 year-old female who is a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis, and resident on Nevis.
On 6 April 2020, the Federal Ministry of Health in St. Kitts and Nevis confirmed today that as at 12:29 p.m. on Monday 6 April 2020, there has been an additional confirmed case of COVID-19. This raises the total number of positive results to eleven. The newest case is a 35-year-old male citizen of the twin-island federation residing in Nevis. This confirmation means that there are now four cases of the coronavirus on Nevis and seven on St. Kitts.
On 10 April 2020, the Minister of State with responsibility for Health, Senator Wendy Phipps, made the disclosure "We now have 12 confirmed positives. The individual is an Indian national who happens to be of the age of 21 years old who had direct contact with a previously announced case” "The person had been placed in quarantine since March 29 when he was first named a contact of a previously confirmed case and was sampled and tested"
On 14 April 2020, St. Kitts and Nevis recorded two additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to fourteen since the first case was reported on Wednesday, 25 March. All fourteen cases are under strict isolation. Additionally, some 111 persons have been quarantined at home. While 234 persons have been tested, 187 have had negative results and the results of 33 persons are still pending at this date. Ten cases are located in Saint Kitts and 4 cases in Nevis.
On 27 April 2020, on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, people were allowed to leave their house for essential business between 06:00 and 19:00. Wearing face masks is mandatory.

May 2020

On 3 May 2020, it was reported that 2,000 people will have received benefits from the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. People who did not qualify in April will still benefit.
On 8 May 2020, it was announced that there will be a 24-hour curfew on Saturday 9 May and Sunday 10 May.
On 19 May 2020, all cases recovered.

July 2020

On 4 July 2020, an additional case was recorded in a national who had returned from Washington, D.C. on 19 June.

Measures

Chronology of the number of active cases