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'Any concerns' over COVID-19 death 'will be addressed'- Health Minister

- Broadcaster rebuked for asking if BVIHSA should shoulder blame for COVID-19 death
Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone (AL) has said any concerns surrounding the COVID-19 death in the Territory will be addressed at the appropriate levels. Photo: Facebook
In a press release on April 18, 2020, the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) said the Virgin Islands (VI) registered its first death due to COVID-19. It identified the victim as a 52-year-old female, who was admitted to the ICU at the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital, and said she was treated in accordance with standard clinical protocols but unfortunately succumbed. Photo: VINO/File
In a press release on April 18, 2020, the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) said the Virgin Islands (VI) registered its first death due to COVID-19. It identified the victim as a 52-year-old female, who was admitted to the ICU at the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital, and said she was treated in accordance with standard clinical protocols but unfortunately succumbed. Photo: VINO/File
Zan Lewis explained that the allegations are that the woman allegedly made more than one trip to the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital but was turned away. Photo: Team of Reporters/File
Zan Lewis explained that the allegations are that the woman allegedly made more than one trip to the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital but was turned away. Photo: Team of Reporters/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Zan Lewis, a senior broadcaster with ZBVI Radio, was rebuked by Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone (AL) for asking if the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) should shoulder blame for the Territory’s lone COVID-19 death.

In a press release on April 18, 2020, the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) said the Virgin Islands (VI) registered its first death due to COVID-19.

It identified the victim as a 52-year-old female, who was admitted to the ICU at the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital, and said she was treated in accordance with standard clinical protocols but unfortunately succumbed.

Is the hospital to be blamed?

Rumours surrounding the death quickly began circulating on social media, including that the woman had been in contact with the hospital after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms but was never tested or admitted prior.

“I am not talking about any confidential information. I am asking you if the hospital from your knowledge is to be blamed? Or was there any faltering in relation to what happened at the hospital?” Lewis asked during a live press conference at the Office of the House of Assembly (HoA) on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

The minister; however, was not amused.

He said: “You are the press and a grown adult, what kind of question is that? If the hospital is to be blamed?”

Lewis then said: “I am asking you sir, was the patient ever turned back from the hospital when they were seeking assistance?”

Minister Malone then stated: “If there were any concerns, they will be addressed.”

VI long on rumours

“This place is always going to be long on rumours and short on facts,” Hon Malone continued.

“The fact is we had a person who passed, we have sent condolences to the family and we want to make sure that we respect the person in all regards in this. So if there are any issues that are unknown, unresolved, it will be done in a professional manner, surely it would not be done here in a press conference,” he remarked.

Lewis said he was simply trying to find out ‘what happened’ because residents are ‘assuming and jumping to conclusions’ and as media personnel, these questions are often posed to them.

Lewis explained that the allegations are that the woman allegedly made more than one trip to the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital but was turned away.

Calls were also reportedly made to the medical hotline by the family of the now deceased woman, however, that was futile as well, according to reports.

23 Responses to “'Any concerns' over COVID-19 death 'will be addressed'- Health Minister”

  • Conscious Society (13/05/2020, 10:27) Like (50) Dislike (4) Reply
    After all this time, y’all had way more than enough time to make up something to fool off the people with this whole agenda. I personally don’t believe none of this crap, they just want to control and push medical tyranny on people. How we know these test that there conducting are accurate when the president in Tanzania already exposed these test that there conducting are bullsht

    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2910424049036866&id=100002078982893
  • Eagle Eye (13/05/2020, 10:28) Like (67) Dislike (0) Reply
    Everybody know that Philippines woman never die of covid 19. That's stale news.NEXT
  • Sad Reality (13/05/2020, 10:30) Like (33) Dislike (2) Reply
    Someone with a mask on was walking in the hot sun and fainted away, lol guess they couldn’t breathe lot more ayo to go, Never seen so much idiotic people in my life, these mask going kill yall
    • @Sad reality (13/05/2020, 10:49) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
      I heard about that and was waiting for it to make it to the news but to no avail
    • Eagle Eye (13/05/2020, 20:40) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      One faint outside one mart, she never made it to the food.
  • Windy (13/05/2020, 10:56) Like (27) Dislike (2) Reply
    Citizens must always question authority and demand answers.
  • A man (13/05/2020, 10:59) Like (40) Dislike (2) Reply
    Carvin, you owe a better answer than that.

    Treat the lady and the press with some respect. Answers are required. There will be a reckoning.
    • @A man (13/05/2020, 12:11) Like (48) Dislike (1) Reply
      Exactly. I do not understand why he seems so defensive. His answer speaks for itself. Obviously if there was no fault, he would have been able to quickly debunk the rumour and provide assurance. I do not like the sound of that. Yes, the interviewer is an adult and the press and is doing his job. The interviewee on the other hand is the minister, the chosen employee of the people and should have some level of professionalism, humility and good people skills. Disappointed but to be fair, I do not want to judge without hearing the full interview because I just cannot believe what I read.
  • Green Clover (13/05/2020, 11:08) Like (26) Dislike (0) Reply
    Carvin ayo lucky the people in the B.V.I don’t protest
  • old (13/05/2020, 12:02) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    You have to ask question. That what they day for. No thing wrong with that. This is life and death.
  • Another question (13/05/2020, 12:18) Like (38) Dislike (2) Reply
    Ok, another question. Is it true that more people are dying with sudden heart attacks due to exposure to the 5G than they are dying due to the covid-19.
  • Help (13/05/2020, 19:16) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    since when the health authority is at liberty to divulge the residents of this territory confidential information: the media people can make contact with the family members and conduct an interview thereafter public that interview; the family in question can be a guest on any talk show and those looking news will get the story straight from the horse’s mouth
  • @lodger (13/05/2020, 19:31) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Exactly....we're barely at 3G levels of service down here. The only thing thats killing people is boredom from the internet service being trash while on lockdown.
  • Not good (13/05/2020, 19:32) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Why u ain’t disclo new case , secret?
  • DEDE (13/05/2020, 20:27) Like (0) Dislike (4) Reply
    I wonder why some of you think you need an explanation from the minister concerning her death. Her family is the only people that he should be talking to about this. If they feel you should know, then let them call a press conference and tell you. Other than that, let her Rest In Peace and the family grieve quietly. The amount of negative things that was said about her is unbelievable. Just wondering any of you want this to done to your love one.

    By the way, even if the minister did answer the question some will still feel he’s lying base on the fact that most of us tend to believe rumors to be truth.
  • Big Slick Willie (13/05/2020, 23:12) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply

    Wow! Thank God this is being looked at. They owe the deceased and the public a full investigation and criminal accountability if warranted. That one case has cost the people of Tortola tremendous inconvience and plenty of personal and business loss. It's curious to see Malone fire back like that. Does he have a vested interest in that hospital or staff? I'll be happy to help investigate.

  • Thin Skinned (14/05/2020, 07:40) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    The minister appeared thin skinned and unprofessional. Does he realize who elected him? All over the world, elected officials are answering media questions, except TRUMP! We have local TRUMPS here too apparently.
    I am not a Zan Lewis fan either. Nothing was wrong with the question, the minister well knows the public has concerns about the circumstances surrounding the dear lady’s death, and would have looked better answering the question instead of acting like a joker. No one wants the confidential details on her life. But was she turned back from Peebles on more than one occasion? That’s the darn question! We need to know for our own comfort level in the event the same thing happens to us.
  • Concerned (14/05/2020, 09:01) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Given that people are suddenly dying at home it begs to wonder, Did they not seek help because we are being told to call a hotline first which in turn may or may not tell us to go to hospital? The people have the right to know that they will be properly cared for if needed.


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