An individual has tested positive for the potentially deadly coronavirus on the Isle of Wight after undergoing tests at St Mary’s Hospital, it has been confirmed.
This is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on the Island – a worrying development for those living locally, especially for the elderly population and their families.
Currently, only 1 case has been reported locally but that number could quickly grow.
It has not been revealed who the individual is, where they live on the Island, or where they have been on the Island. It is said they recently travelled abroad. It is thought the infected individual is an older woman.
As of 07:00 on 7 March 2020, 21,460 people have been tested in the UK of which 206 have been confirmed as positive for coronavirus. 2 patients have died in the UK.
Hospitals across the country have set up NHS 111 Coronavirus Pods to help test possible cases and to protect patients and staff. The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has set up this Pod in a stand-alone building that is isolated from the rest of the hospital. However, people should only make their way to the Pod if they are told to by NHS 111.
Emergency management planners at the Isle of Wight Council are now expected to work with partners following their Pandemic Influenza Response Plan.
The Isle of Wight Council has issued a statement – Read it here.
Alison Barnett, Centre Director for Public Health England South East, has said:
“Public Health England is contacting people who had close contact with a person who is a resident of the Isle of Wight and had recently returned from overseas travel.
“Those identified will be given health advice about symptoms and emergency contact details to use if they become unwell in the 14-day intervening period.
“If you have not been contacted by Public Health England as a close contact of the confirmed case, you do not need to take any action at this time.
“This tried and tested method will ensure we are able to minimise any risks to those contacted and the wider public.”
Symptoms of coronavirus
The symptoms of coronavirus are:
- a high temperature
- a cough
- shortness of breath
The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu. Research shows it takes, on average, around 5 days for symptoms to start showing.
If you are worried that you might have coronavirus
- Stay indoors and avoid close contact with other people, especially older or vulnerable people
- Call NHS 111 or use the online service https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 – you will be asked questions and given advice
- You should not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or St Mary’s Hospital without checking with NHS 111
How to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus
[mks_icon icon=”fa-check” color=”#81d742″ type=”fa”] Do
- wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- always wash your hands when you get home or into work
- use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
- put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards
- try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
[mks_icon icon=”fa-times” color=”#ff0000″ type=”fa”] Don’t
- do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
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Oh feck
Everyone now must follow the advice we are given.
You can, I am going to stock up big style on food, toilet rolls, and other essential items. Italy was casual ONLY 30 days ago, NOW they will be jailed if they leave their homes.
DON’T imo wait for the rich to buy up all the food, think how much your family consume for a month and fill up your cupboards is my attitude.
The Gov will always be alright, but will you and yours?
Act how your morals allow, NOT by trusting what HMG want you to do, the two may be very different animals
Grow up
Let the village know we have found their idiot.
bad
I have have been in St Marys over the last three days and witnessed a patient being transferred by medical staff in full protective suits, the lady looked over 50 and had an oxygen mask on I am assuming if this is the Covid-19 case she may have been in the later stage by the look of her symptoms and can only assume that she has possibly been in contact with others before being admitted and would not be surprised if more cases arise.
stop taking people there Barry
The question to be asked; why was she on a ward in the first place and not taken straight to the pod doesn’t make sense to me
Surely they should reveal at least where on the island they are from
So u can Get out the pitchforks
I think we should know where this person lives and where they have been!
They cannot disclose where this person lives, you’ll get nutters going to this person’s address as if it were a witch hunt, which it is NOT
So it begins…. with our elderly population here, a terrible Spring and Summer of worry. Tesco should do free deliveries for elderly to stop them being at such risk.
Disgusting sensationalist “media reporting” This viral infection is responsible for less deaths than the common flu. Thousands of people who contracted Coronavirus and have since fully recovered and report it was less debilitating than a mild cold. Report that.
Sorry, but that is incorrect information Dave. Here’s some facts and with a reference.
Total number of deaths and mortality rates count different events.
COVID19 is significantly more deadly than the seasonal flu. See World Health Organization for accurate information. http://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Mortality for COVID-19 appears higher than for influenza, especially seasonal influenza. While the true mortality of
COVID-19 will take some time to fully understand, the data we have so far indicate that the crude mortality ratio (the
number of reported deaths divided by the reported cases) is between 3-4%, the infection mortality rate (the number
of reported deaths divided by the number of infections) will be lower. For seasonal influenza, mortality is usually
well below 0.1%. However, mortality is to a large extent determined by access to and quality of health care.
Reference PDF:
http://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200306-sitrep-46-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=96b04adf_2
The key word in the WHO statement is “Appears”.
The mortility rate “appears” higher because the number of fatalities is still (statistically speaking) very low and, because many people only experience mild symptoms, the actual number of cases is way higher than the reported ones the calculation is based on.
Getting accurate, representative data is key to making a proper threat assessment and we just don’t have that yet.
for example, if we used just the Isle of Wight data, with only one case the mortality rate is 0% and the infection rate is 1 in 120,000 – Clearly not the case but that’s statistics for you.
As the old saying goes: Lies, D**n Lies and Statistics.
What is needed is a sense of perspective, reliable communication and well planned responses rather than panic, sensationalist headlines and knee jerk reactions.
Otherwise there is a real danger that the cure will have far worse consequences than the disease.
For anyone interested in a calm, thoughtful, informed and factual overview of COVID-19, the Coronavirus, this is the best interview I’ve seen to date.
Highly recommended.
https://youtu.be/dcJDpV-igjs
Now watch all the unnesecary pulsive panic buying happen
It’s happened already arghhh
They need to close any type of transport to the island this is stupid
Gas masks on and haz-mat overalls. Time to stop the ferries too
I do hope the confirmed case is not elderly and recovers well.
I think people should be informed of where this person has been ? It’s hardly secret but at least anyone who has been in contact with this person could get tested?
I do wish them a speedy recovery.
One other thing… there are no toilet rolls to be had in any of the supermarkets ! Why ? Has someone said that toilet rolls cure the virus … as aways the same inconsiderate greedy individuals prevail.
Toilet roll is mainly made in china, their factories have been hit hard so the import of toilet roll has been lower then usual, so naturally people are panic buying thre toilet roll, that is the reason
You can always use leaves, just ensure no Holly in it
what, toilet rolls are made in the UK !!! for the love of God, dont start scaremongering !!!!
Try next time, using YOUR brain, not listening to HMG advise who you can be sure will always have a supple cushioned toilet roll to hand.
It was only a matter of time and all without a large gathering of people, such as a festival
Potentially deadly but actually survivable by the vast majority. You really aren’t helping.
I am in my 80s with multiple Health Problems and an embarrassingly long list of drugs. Actually apart from the extra suffering that the virus would bring me I wouldn’t mind my life ending so as not to sequester vital services to the younger. I’ve had my life, time to move on?
Sad but true I don’t mean to sound callous but something like 6 deaths in the country of people all elderly and with serious health problems is hardly a pandemic unfortunately when you reach a certain age if you don’t die of one thing you will die of something else I think isolating healthy people will shut down services and stop these same vulnerable people receiving the care they need day to day and will be as harmful as the virus itself. Stay safe Alan I wish you well
Thank you Julie, The sort of compassionate response I hardly dared hoped for.
For anyone interested in a calm, thoughtful, informed and factual overview of COVID-19, the Coronavirus, this is the best interview I’ve seen to date.
This isn’t ‘the flu’.
Highly recommended.
https://youtu.be/dcJDpV-igjs
……… “cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your SLEEVE” ???!!! Yuk, no way!
The advice to sneeze or cough into your sleeve Ann is just incase a person doesn’t have a tissue handy. Better to catch your own germs than spread them into the air and risk infecting other people don’t you think!?!? Don’t cough or sneeze onto your hand either, if a person has the virus then goes on to touch door handles, rails, card pin machines in supermarkets etc etc this will spread the virus very quickly. Hand washing is very important as they state on the TV as is carrying plenty of tissues! If everyone is sensible and follows instructions as per the NHS advice adverts we can all do our bit to try and slow the spread.
The IOW is gunna have to be evacuated
“put used tissues in the bin straight away”
Good thing I use a sock…
Oh, so you don’t put them back in the box to dry out for next time then.
Once they’re dried out I sell mine on eBay – hoarders will buy anything.
No Comments ?
I think we all need to know a little bit more about this person’s movements as in how did he or she travel back to the Island and on what day etc? There is not enough known about contracting this virus in my opinion so knowing if you had been in a confined space with this person is a must.
Many of us have relatives or someone close that are potentially in the at risk group as I am so the need to know is fairly critical.
I do hope the person gets through this and it is not something that becomes a major issue for the island
No checks at any of the UK airports, what can we expect….
No way of checking those floating illegally across daily either, many of whom, as we have witnessed on our Isle, work in low end eating establishments. Avoid such now.
So true clare
How about the ferry ports this person must have got back to the island on a boat
I’m dismayed, shocked and depressed around this Government’s behaviour concerning the new Coronavirus. These reactions have been reinforced by this government’s behaviour around the first verified case of Coronavirus here on the Isle of Wight.
Specifically the withholding of information.
All information regarding:
– Location on the island (general area not specific address)
– Where, overseas, this individual had returned from.
– What flight number and day they flew while infected.
– Which ferry to the IoW did they take and what day.
The government claims are contacting all persons which were in contact with the infected person. Fair enough. HOWEVER, an extremely dangerous aspect of COVID19 is the fact that it’s symptoms can be mild.
Mild symptoms ARE a huge problem because those with mild symptoms are generally unaware they are ill with COVID19. Thus COVID19 contagious individuals can easily go about their normal daily activities.
Those with mild COVID19 symptoms (being unaware they carry the virus) then spread the virus unknowingly. Every time I read from the government to not be concerned because the majority of individuals only experience mild symptoms, I’m filled with despair as this ‘reassuring information’ has the effect of spreading COVID19 across vast areas of citizens.
This is likely how one becomes one of the so-called ‘super-spreaders’.
Location of COVID19 infections:
South Korea has phone apps which will provide an alert if you come within 100 meters of a known location of in infection. See: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/coronavirus-news-app-south-korea-latest-cases-deaths-location-a9371651.html
Isolation of the Coronavirus is the most effective way to stop it in it’s tracks.
TRUST …
When individuals don’t trust the Government and their agencies, it becomes extremely difficult to fight an epidemic.
Trust is lost when the government:
– Doesn’t tell us where one contracted the virus.
– What public modes of transport an infected person uses.
– A useful location of those infected.
This is not an all inclusive list.
Once trust is lost due to withholding of useful information, individuals do not trust the Government statements such as ‘there is no need to stockpile’. In fact once the Government has not conducted itself in an honest manner, a statement to the effect that stockpiling is not necessary may be interpreted as an indication of a dire need to stockpile. Not helpful to anyone.
I believe that all ferry ports to the Island should have had a week or so ago the airport style electronic thermometers to check people leaving to mainland & people arriving.
This would give us Islanders some form if small that something was being done.
Up to now as we know no checks have been carried out, this might have stopped the case of the returning holiday maker from bringing the infection to the Island.
Potentially deadly is a bit scare mongering as people have recovered from this virus.
Let’s hope that there are not many more confirmed cases on the Island as the Hospital will find it hard to keep up.
Fingers crossed.
As long as you are willing to turn up and do the temperature checks yourself bert – then argue with people when they say they always have a high temp….pointless waste of time and just delays everyone.
This is a concern but totally predictable, The Island in this case is no different to the rest of the world, time to be sensible and calm, take responsibility for yourself and be considerate of others.
Things are about to change for the long haul.
Another manmade disease to experiment on the world population
I think that if we want to avoid the measures being taken now in Italy (16 million people in forced quarantine) then we should stop all unnecessary contact with others e.g. stop going to pubs, cafes & restaurants etc. for a few weeks until the virus burns itself out. Essential travel only. I know that this would be very bad for some businesses in the short term, but if we don’t do this and instead just ‘carry on as normal’ as is currently being advised, it’s likely we’ll be forced to do it in a few weeks anyway but with many more people infected and ill. It’s a ‘no brainer’ to me.
Fully agree Bob, but lets stock up with food and tissues first. Otherwise a miserable two to four weeks inside.
I fully agree here. I also think if you know any elderly or people with health conditions ask if they need anything while your out shopping. I also think we need to stop panic buying as most of us will not be seriously affected but the vounrable who will be infected are now with out alcohol gel, soap, toilet roll.. I also think government should be sending out alcohol gel to the most vournable the same as they would send water when there’s a burst pipe. There not doing enough to protect the vounrable
in these situations the natural “survival of the fittest” comes out.
You cannot care for anyone else unless you care for yourself first – in other words…stock up and buy up at least a months worth of stuff for yourself, make sure you are ok first, then consider others – that is the natural order and how our society and that of nature has existed and evolved over many millenia – it is natures system that works and ensures that preservation of the strongest and best survive.
You only have to look to nature to see how it deals with weakness and vulnerability – it is either eaten by something else or withers away and dies, because a stronger and more dominant plant or creature is getting all the resources for themselves, to ensure that they and their lineage continues. Humans are no different in times of crisis or scarcity and anyone that says otherwise clearly cannot comprehend what real shortages are like and how it brings out the real human nature.
ask yourself — if two people are starving and you only have enough food for one to survive – what are you going to do – sacrifice yourself for the other – I think not.
Did you know can be spread on the internet!! That’s how it got out of China!
Would it make sense on the car ferries for passengers to be instructed to remain in their vehicles?
Of course we should be told whereabouts on the Island this person resides and whereabouts they have been, what they have travelled on etc. No one is asking for their name and address, People , especially vulnerable people living alone with no one to bother about them, are going to be worried and we need to know as much information as possible .
Another thing that seems ridiculous to me is the advice given to anyone vulnerable to stay in for two weeks to protect themselves, so, they go out after two weeks and what? Will be automaticlly safe from getting it? Do these ‘advisors’ honestly think it will be gone in two weeks? So if you stay in for that time and then go out again it will be all gone by then?
I’d hope also that the world should be somehow compensated by China, instead of which I hear this country is sending money over there. Also the terrible, cruel treatment of wild animals should be universally condemned, bats should never be treated in this way and used as food for humans. Especially trapping them, keeping in markets and selling for anyone to take home and kill. Disgusting. The Chinese government should clamp down on these markets and stop this from ever happening again and stop the cruel abuse of these creatures.