 As of February 23, 2020, the World Health Organization reported a total of 78,811 confirmed cases of COVID-19 from China with 2,445 deaths. There are now 1,769 confirmed cases in 28 countries outside of China. There have been 17 deaths outside of China, and the cases on cruise ship liner in Japan has now gone to 634 with 2 deaths. We have no confirmed cases of coronavirus disease or COVID-19 in St. Lucia or the Caribbean region. On Saturday, February 22, 2020, authorities were alerted of two Chinese nationals with dual citizenship traveling to St. Lucia via the United Kingdom with a travel history of concern. Upon arrival, they were reviewed by the Port Health team as per protocol. One person is currently placed under isolation at a health care facility and the other under quarantine at another site in keeping with public health guidelines. Samples will be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency today for testing. Quarantine is used to separate and restrict the movement of persons who are well and may have been exposed to a communicable disease such as COVID-19. This is done to monitor and to see if they develop signs and symptoms over the incubation period of the particular disease. Isolation, however, is used to separate known ill persons who have a communicable disease from those who are healthy. Isolation restricts the movement of ill persons to help stop the spread of certain diseases. The Department of Health and Wellness has established systems at key institutions to ensure timely response and management of any issue of public health concern, which include our ports and our health care facilities. These systems are functioning and continue to detect and respond to issues of concern which arise. Despite this level of responsiveness, the Department of Health and Wellness, we continue to undertake constant review and strengthening of our preparedness plans to manage the threat of the coronavirus disease and other issues of public health concern. As such, in the interim, we continue to advise the public to continue practicing the standard recommendations to prevent the spread of respiratory infection. These include regular hand washing of soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer to cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when coughing and sneezing and to avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing. We also advise the public to seek medical attention and to share your travel history with your health care provider if you have symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, either during or after travel. The Department of Health and Wellness, we will continue informing the public of any updates with the recent case.