Specialists from Public Health England (PHE) are working with the Isle of Wight Council and NHS colleagues following a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) on the Island.
The individual is now being treated appropriately and in isolation, although it has not been revealed where the person lives on the Island or where they are currently being treated.
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.”
The Isle of Wight Council’s Director of Public Health, Simon Bryant, has said:
“We are working with health colleagues to do everything we can to stop the virus spreading and ensure that people on the Island are protected as much as possible.
“Current evidence indicates that most cases appear to be mild, with patients experiencing flu-like symptoms.
“Older residents or those with weakened immune systems or long-term conditions may experience more severe symptoms”.
Health and local authorities are strongly encouraging people to follow national government guidance to prevent further spread of the illness and limit the numbers affected.
This guidance includes taking basic hygiene precautions as the best way of significantly reducing the chances of spreading any virus: sneeze or cough into a tissue, bin it, wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your face unless you’ve just washed your hands.
Mr Bryant added:
“These are the same simple steps we all should be taking to avoid other illnesses – such as flu – which are also around during the winter.
“It is important that residents help protect themselves and others.
“If you have recently travelled to an affected area or been in contact with someone who has, and you think you have symptoms associated with the coronavirus, you should not go to A&E or your doctor but self-isolate yourself at home and use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service that can tell if you need medical help and advise you what to do https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19, or ring NHS 111.”
The symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:
- a high temperature
- a cough
- shortness of breath
Self-isolation means you should:
- stay at home
- not go to work, school or public places
- not use public transport or taxis
- ask friends, family members or delivery services to do errands for you
- try to avoid visitors to your home – it’s OK for friends or family to drop off food for you. Alternatively, you can order by phone or online, such as through takeaway services or online shopping deliveries. However, make sure you tell the delivery driver that the items are to be left outside, or as appropriate for your home.
For more advice on self isolation visit NHS online at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/.
You may need to do this for up to 14 days to help reduce the possible spread of infection. For more information on the symptoms and steps to take, go to www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.
For the latest advice for travellers returning from affected areas, plus guidance to schools and care homes, visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
The Grim Reaper has chosen to visit us!
WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!
We need name, where they work, where they have been since coming back.
Where they shop, who have they been in close contact with, who did they sit with on the ferry, plane, do they have a dog, is that at risk or a carrier, is their wheely bin full of contaminated tissues, will the dustman be warned. Did they wash their hands.
This could kill thousands here, as we have many elderly.
Imagine if the prison gets infected, they will get priority over all others.
Imagine when our ‘charming’ youth gets such, they will deliberately sneeze over others, are there going to be special laws to then jail such?
We need answers not secrecy, this plague could change our society beyond our expectations.
Many clever people are elderly and imagine if the house of Lords catch such.
Privacy rights should be waived in CV cases.
“Imagine when our ‘charming’ youth gets such, they will deliberately sneeze over others, are there going to be special laws to then jail such?”
As one of the the youths of the Isle of Wight, I am young enough to remember the manners my mother taught me. Aside from basic human hygiene, she also taught me not to insult and generalise people I don’t know.
A correct grasp of the English language would be a bonus to.
Clearly you have ‘almost’ been raised correctly, except insulting a stranger on their less than perfect English, on, what is after all only a public bulletin board, often written in haste on small devices.
That point of concern for you now clarified, the point is many of the youth in our more ‘basic’ education systems will do as I suggest, and whilst not all are so vile, many are.
We have to generalise when discussing some issues as clearly it is impossible to state which of the ‘charming youth’ will do as I suggest.
I will not expect an apology from you, as Maters teaching likely never felt such necessary from such a pompous son, when we read of members ‘the charming youth’ doing as I foresee.
Don’t forget to wash those hands carefully.
Well said, i.o.w charming youth!
One small thing though. It should be:
‘A correct grasp of the English language would be a bonus, too’.
Not, ‘to’.
look at you. A perfect example of the idiotic public who believe the fear mongering and calculated panic injected by too much News. I’m sure we’d all love it if you quarenteend yourself for 2 weeks so no one has to put up with the garbage coming out of your mouth/ keyboard.
Privacy rights should not be waiverd in CV cases you entitled bigot. Do you want to cause a Lynch mob and more suffering to the poor sod who caught it through no fault of their own? This is the isle of Wight, it’s not the charming youth you have to be worried about, it’s the arrogant self centered boomers like you who think they know better than the government and health authorities.
I bet 95% of anyone who read your comment immediately thought ” oh, just shut up”.
Which you should.
as one of the ‘charming youth’, there is something called confidentiality in medicine, they are legally not allowed to share that information. Evidently the elderly aren’t so clever if they’re not aware of this, I guess you’re all too busy buying pasta and loo roll for whatever reason
Oh, and don’t worry, since apparently i’m part of a generalised group of people who are as you say ‘have a basic education’, i’ll be sure not to sneeze in your direction
Good point Sneezy, but there are exceptions that might apply.
DPA2018 (GDPR) and the NHS internal Information Governance (IG) procedures contain exemptions where a disclosure is in the public interest – such as, for example, to aid in the control of a major outbreak.
My personal opinion is that they should probably be helping people to determine if they are at increased risk by releasing at least some information or at least give a better explanation of why they have chosen not to do so. Particularly since their current approach is going to lead to mistrust and rumour until the information becomes impossible to contain anyway.
Coronavirus is here on the island!
The Grim Reaper has chosen to visit us!
WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!
Will employers pay employees If they go ill..?? Some employers don’t and not first few days or not at all.. I know for fact.. Some people can’t afford not to go to work.. Bills and food depens on it…. Employers should have emergency plan ready for their employees….
Could the council not issue CV signs to the front door so double glazing salesmen, postman, and other callers have warning not to get too close?
Direct action may just save one life, it will all be worth it.
PMaybe give the infected a bell to ring and chant “unclean”.
Or paint red crosses on our doors, eh? Next, the Walking Dead…
Sensible picture use here. Unlike other media Island Echo has not used a picture of St. Mary’s. The reporting indicates that the individual who has tested positive has been isolated and that probably means at home. Most people will not need hospital treatment unless they are elderly and have an underlying health condition. Well done to Island Echo for appropriate picture use.
If this person coming from overseas had been quarantined it wouldn’t be on the island.Now the whole island are at risk especially the elderly which there are more of here.
And of course let’s bear in mind that virtually all the IWC Public Health Department legged it a few months ago when the staff numbers were more than halved.
Yes, council staff, so most time was spent ‘working from home’, off sick or attending partners domestic strife – but nonetheless, not a good time to have just reduced your staffing by over 70% is it??
Who is this guy, and where abouts does he live because we should know??!?!?!
And then do what? March around to their place, as a mob, with pitchforks and burning torches? If C-19 is now on the IOW, just be sensible. There’s been enough panicking!!
The key points are, how long had this person been back on the Island before the symptoms arose and IF they had travelled from a known affected area why were they not already isolated
How did that person get to St. Mary’s and how did they get to the island from the infected country?
Whereabouts does the person live and how many days had they been moving about the island between their return from foreign travel to their being hospitalised?
anyone going to tell us which area she is from… as no doubt shes been on the streets coughing all over loads of people who wont be contacted… at least if we know where roughly she is from we can do something to protect ourselves rather than rely on the council and nhs… who are clearly not willing to make any real efforts around this virus
How did this person get to the island after their holiday. The ferry date and time should be advertised, this person would have had contact with all the people traveling at that time, and these people may think they have a cold instead of a mild case of the coronavirus, which they are now spreading around the island.
Very good point !
Taking precautions to prevent the spread of the virus is paramount. Some people just dont give a dam. A couple of days ago I witnessed an individual in a large supermarket coughing and sneezing into a newspaper on the paper stand. When challenged said it was “none of my business” So advice is falling on some deaf ears.
I never buy unwrapped bread from Tesco, as people with germy, snot infested fingers squeeze it, pick it up to their dripping noses and smell it. I would rather a whale chocked to death on the old plastic wrapping than eat the elderlys nose contents, now more so than ever with CV running out of peoples bodies.
Perhaps you should bake your own bread !!
How can we know if we have been in contact with this person if we do not know who they are.
Yes, Just wait till that Newport pop festival gets underway and all those potentially sick visitors arrive. We are all doomed !!!
I too thought at first, we should be told where the infected person lives etc. but all that would achieve is two things – 1. needless worry for 100’s of people who live in that area and 2. people not in that area becoming complacent.
The virus was always going to get to the island at some point – now it’s here, what we have to do is be careful and sensible which in my opinion means for the next few weeks: avoiding crowded places – pubs, cafes etc.; stay at home if you don’t ‘need’ to go out; if/when you go shopping, wash your hands as soon as possible after handling shopping trolley etc. (you could either do that when you get home or keep wet wipes with you/in the car etc.). Going out for a walk in uncrowded places should be fine; phone 111 if you get ‘flu-like’ symptoms.
Maybe it is Bob “seldom seen” Seely. No wait he never visits.