‘Able To Test Approximately 2,000 Persons’
“With the additional testing supplies scheduled to arrive on the BA flight next week, we will be able to test approximately 2,000 persons,” Minister of Health Kim Wilson confirmed during yesterday’s press briefing.
Minister Wilson said, “Regarding testing capability, with the generosity of Roche Bermuda’s supply of two additional testing instruments along with two laptop operating systems to run them, there will be the additional capacity to conduct tests in Bermuda.
“This will heavily ramp up our testing program as we will be looking to add to our current testing facility to offer more widespread screening of our population to combat this viral outbreak.
“With the additional testing supplies scheduled to arrive on the BA flight next week, we will be able to test approximately 2,000 persons. Public Health England, through Crown Agents, have indicated that they will provide this same level of testing capabilities to Bermuda on a weekly basis.
“An additional testing centre will be set up and validated according to WHO guidelines, not only to assist the national diagnostic efforts, but also to expose our Bermudian university students who are already educated in the field, and have previous laboratory experience, to what is certainly an emerging field of work.
“This new laboratory will be under the direction of Dr. Carika Weldon. The new machines and test kits will arrive on Monday on our already announced AirBridge BA flight.”
As the island and world deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, we are doing our best to provide timely and accurate information, and you can find more information on the links below.
- Live: Our continuously updated live blog here
- All: Our coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic here
- Official: The Bermuda Government website here
- World Stats: Live graph of all cases worldwide here
- Bermuda Stats: Chart of the Bermuda stats here
- Timeline: Visual look at the timeline here
- Comprehensive: Our new Covid-19 website here
Officials are urging everyone to please follow all guidance like washing your hands, adhering to self quarantine if relevant, and practicing social distancing, and they have asked that if it is not urgent, a necessity or work, to please stay home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
If you think your going to force test people when we know fully that we don’t have this virus then the s&^%^% is Going to hit the fan! So don’t delay! Your treating us like criminals
No mention or thanks for the UK which is finding, funding and sending the kits and protective equipment for us on a subsidized flight.
Agree fully, disappointing given there is so much UK press about a lack of tests there, they have dug deep for us.
1. Thanks costs nothing.
2. It means the UK will be less inclined to continue assisting.
3. It will be read as petty PLP pro-independence positioning. Not now David, please.
Its also not too late to say thank you. Man up man.
The only thing this government wants from the UK, is the ability to discriminate against some Bermudians, legally.
That doesn’t paint Bermuda in a very favourable light.
We hate the UK and want Independence from it but then when we need something, we are there with our hands out waiting for the UK to rescue us. And then when they save our butts, we refuse to say “thank you.”
It’s embarrassing. Pathetic.
Why should we thank the UK? My ancestors didn’t ask to come here, nor did the hardcore local working community ask for this virus. This was brought here by flights incoming from the UK and or the USA. Both of those countries should be obligated to send test kits to every country their planes, ships or any other carrier that floats by or drops out of the sky affecting not just Bermuda’s shores but all countries coming down with this virus…
If I get sick from this pandemic decease, I caught it from someone who brought it in from the outside world because I haven’t traveled outside Bermuda well over 10 years.