 Welcome to NTIA Nightly, I am General Norvell, this edition's top stories. The Ministry of Health and Wellness identifies a correlation between breaches of home quarantine and increased incidents of COVID-19 cases. The Chief Medical Officer says one life lost to COVID-19 is one too many. And St. Lucia congratulates Dr. Hygienus Jean-Leo on CDB presidency appointment. The Ministry of Health and Wellness on Wednesday provided an update on St. Lucia's current situation as it relates to COVID-19. The challenges plagued the health sector and the plans and strategies implemented to strengthen the health system and manage the current wave. An epidemiological analysis indicated that the Ministry has confirmed 969 cases of COVID-19, 461 active cases, 495 recoveries and 13 COVID-19 related deaths. One of the cases is critical and in ICU. With the stark increases in positive cases from December to January of more than 300%, active national epidemiologist Dr. Dana de Costa Gomez explained that this was largely due to breaches of home quarantine. I just wanted to touch on quarantine a bit and to show how the lack of adherence to quarantine has been affecting. You can draw a correlation between persons not adhering to quarantine or breaches in quarantine and how that has affected our number of cases. So for November, so the blue is persons going to the hotel. The orange is persons on home quarantine and the yellow is persons on facility quarantine. So for November, we see minimal persons going on home quarantine. In December, we have a larger number of persons going on home quarantine. So if we look at the cumulative incidents of COVID-19 cases and the cumulative arrivals on home quarantine, we can see that as there has been an increase in persons going on home quarantine, so have we had an increase in our cases as well, so we can draw some degree of correlation between the two. The incidence rate of cases stands at 53.5%, with castries accounting for the highest incidence rate, followed by grozile and then barbano. The age range most affected by COVID-19 is 20 to 59 years of age, with females accounting for 55% of the affected. The acting epidemiologist noted that the ministry has been able to identify the correlation between the increased number of cases and quarantine breaches with the use of locations plotted on a map. We've been able to plot where we see the majority of our cases and also, so in the red is the incidence of the positive cases that we're seeing and the green and the different shades would let us know exactly where the quarantine cases have been. So we notice that we have the greater density in areas where we are seeing that persons are going for quarantine. If you look up in the north, we see the greater density of individuals going on home quarantine and also we see the greater density of cases being identified there. And we can see a couple of spots in the south with the density. You can notice the darker green and the bigger circles for the number of positive cases, hence drawing a correlation between the two. Acting epidemiologist Dr. Dana de Costa Gomez. One death is too many. This is a sentiment shared by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmart George during a press conference held Wednesday. At news time, the Ministry of Health and Wellness had confirmed 13 COVID-19 related deaths. The CMO highlighted that the ministry continues to do all in its power to ensure the health and safety of all. Our plan from very early was to contain the cases, reduce spread, because we are aware that we have a vulnerable population for COVID-19 and part of our plan is the strengthening of our patients with chronic diseases and our elderly to protect them, to reduce and to prevent them from getting sick because one death from COVID-19 is too many for us. So the 13 is too many. But we use the term COVID-related death. I want to make that very clear. I am at no point saying COVID killed somebody and I am not saying that nobody died of COVID. The Chief Medical Officer noted that COVID-19 worsens underlying health issues. Our patients have other underlying conditions. Our patients that we have had to date, a range of other underlying conditions which could have also caused their death. Now it is a known fact that COVID-19 exacerbates an already existing health condition. It makes it worse. So I am not in a position to say COVID killed any one of them or to say it is not COVID. What we are saying, this person passed away and was positive with COVID-19. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar George The Government of St. Lucia joins OECS Member States in congratulating Dr. Hygienus Jean Leo on being appointed President of the Caribbean Development Bank, CDB. The appointment of Dr. Leo Marx the second time that a St. Lucia has been called upon to head this prestigious regional institution. Reacting to the news of the appointment, St. Lucia's Prime Minister, the Honourable Alan Shasne congratulated Dr. Leo, indicating that it was a proud moment for St. Lucia as Dr. Leo follows in the footsteps of one illustrious son of St. Lucia in soil, Nobel laureate Sir William Arthur Lewis. When Dr. Leo assumes the CDB presidency on May 1, 2021, he will succeed Dr. Warren Smith, who has been at the helm of the Regional Financial Institute for the last 10 years. First of all, I want to say thank you to Warren Smith for an outstanding job over many years at the helm of CDB. Every day was a new challenge and I think that he conducted himself and managed the affairs of CDB extremely well. But I am also very thrilled at the announcement of the selection of Dr. Jean Leon as the new president of CDB. One, it is 50 years since the inception of CDB and the first president of CDB was none other than Sir Arthur Lewis, a solution. And so to have Dr. Leon coming in at this time from St. Lucia is very exciting. But times have changed. Dr. Leon is not just from St. Lucia, but he is the candidate from the OECS, something that we're very proud of, that we participated collectively and I see him as a citizen of the OECS and I think we're all elated of having him there. Prime Minister Shasne noted that Dr. Leo has attained this presidency at a time when members, particularly the smallest and most vulnerable, in dire need of a new and more constructive relationship with financial institutions. Dr. Leo has over 30 years of experience in economic development and has worked with the International Monetary Fund for over two decades where he served as mission chief for over five countries. The St. Lucia National was also an associate professor at the State University of New York. In addition, he served as director of research at the Central Bank of Barbados and country economists at the CDB. Dr. Leon's experience at IMF could not come at a better time. The IMF is the leading institution globally, particularly and plays a significant role in its policy framework for us here in the region. And having a person of his experience with the insight into the IMF, I think it's going to help carve a new direction for us as a region and as SIDS in particular. There has to be a change in how we're going about accessing funding for small and developing states in light of everything that has taken place and so I'm elated, proud of his announcement and looking forward to great things in the future. Dr. Leon holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of London. This is Ntia Knightley. When we come back, St. Lucia continues to build its resilience against pest introductions. Stay with us. The accident again? I'm not going to be in the hospital. I'm going to go to the hospital and get my clothes washed. The sewing machine is on its way. And don't worry, I'll be back soon. Stray animals are endangering human lives and property. Livestock owners, please ensure animals do not stray on roads, highways, and public places. Remember, sections of the animal act 2005 states Stray animals will be seized and put in a pound by authorized persons. Owners will be liable to a fine of $5,000 or two years' imprisonment or both. Save innocent animals. Save human lives and property. A message from the Department of Agriculture. Welcome back. As St. Lucia continues to build its resilience against pest introductions, the cadre of plant health professionals are undergoing training on economically important plant parasitic nematodes. Anissia Antoine tells us more. In the Caribbean region, pest incursions frequently threaten economic development, natural resources, and the environment. In this regard, the Department of Agriculture has joined forces with the University of Florida, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, ICA, and the Caribbean Health Directors Forum to host a diagnostic training course on economically important plant parasitic nematodes. Nematodes can be described as microscopic soil pests that affect plants. The course aims to build the capacity of plant health technicians in basic diagnostic and surveillance techniques for nematodes. Director of Agricultural Services, Dr. Araya King Snack says the training is timely as the Department of Agriculture recently opened the new diagnostic facility in Union. We are confident that this training will enhance the food security in St. Lucia as many of our major crops are susceptible to nematodes infestations. For example, the banana industry, which is our main export crop, has over the years battled with several species of nematodes, causing topplings and reduction in yields. Fruits and vegetable production have also been affected, both in open fields and productive structures. With the advent of globalization, it must be noted that trade and agriculture commodities have over the years increased our vulnerability to new pests and diseases, including nematodes. Timely identification and management of such is therefore critical in not only improving crop yield but also implementing good agricultural practices to minimize or eliminate the use of synthetic pesticides. Dr. King says the Department of Agriculture will continue to work closely with the Caribbean Health Director's Forum and the technical working groups with the aim of fully developing the field of nematology and improving diagnostics for the region. I am confident that this training exercise will sensitize laboratory technicians, agricultural officers, including our quarantine officers and crop protection officers in the areas of nematology and increase the enthusiasm for their field of study and hopefully that they may pursue at a higher level studies in nematology. It would provide us with the opportunity to identify and to act quickly at the ports of entry, hence limiting the possibility of establishment and spread. Our expectations are that by the end of this training to carry out a nematophonus study of Senusia and to enhance our surveillance activities by providing critical data which is required for updating our national pest list. The diagnostic training course on economically important plant parasitic nematodes commenced on Tuesday, January 26th, 2021 and will culminate on Friday, January 29th, 2021. From the communications unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, I am Anisia Antoine reporting. The Ministry of Health and Wellness informs the general public that the management of patients with respiratory symptoms, including sample collection for COVID-19, is allowed both within the public and private sector. Dr Sharon Belmar George is the chief medical officer. Within the public sector, individuals requiring tests can go to any one of the five community respiratory clinics. Currently, the VG Sports Complex's in castries is also available as a temporary mobile testing site until Friday, January 29th, 2021. People needing treatment also have the option of seeking this through their private physicians. The Ministry of Health has not prohibited private physicians from providing this service to their patients. Private physicians can facilitate swabbing for COVID-19 PCR testing. As obtained within the public sector, tests done by private physicians are free to all Senusia nationals except for travel purposes where a fee of US $100 is applied. The chief medical officer reaffirms that everyone who has been tested for COVID-19, whether within the public or private sector, must remain in home quarantine until their test result is given. Both negative and positive results must be communicated via telephone by a healthcare provider. This means that individual must not go to work or school, not be involved in any social gathering and not go out into public to conduct business. Anyone awaiting results must remain within a dedicated space in the home which is separate from other family members. There should be no visitors to the individual while in quarantine. Test results must be received before resuming normal activity and no individual can discharge himself from quarantine. Also, persons with respiratory symptoms should not be going out in public to work, to school or take part in any activities. The Ministry of Health and Wellness requests the public's support in adhering to these requirements in an effort to reduce possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus. In keeping with the COVID-19 protocols announced by the Ministry of Health and Wellness for the period commencing January 22, 2021, the public is heard by informed that effective Tuesday, January 26, 2021, practical driving examinations and theoretical examinations have been suspended until February 2, 2021. Only new registration of vehicles will be processed at the Transport Division. The public is encouraged to conduct transactions using the DigiGov portal, digigov.govt.lc. The Transport Division can be contacted via telephone number 468-6300-6300 or 6331 or email address transport at govt.lc for required assistance. Please be advised that in light of the rapid increase in COVID-19 infections on Ireland and the closure of non-essential services, the Sinclucia Blind Welfare Association and ICAS Sinclucia Clinic will be closed to the public from January 26 to February 1, 2021, in accordance with the government's instructions. The Sinclucia Blind Welfare Association thanks members of the public for their understanding. That brings us to the end of NTN Nightly. Join us next time at 7 p.m. with a repeat at 7 a.m. You can also catch up with us anytime on the Sinclucia...