Caribbean coronavirus cases confirmed

Regional media outlets have reported three cases of the coronavirus (covid19) in the Caribbean.

The cases have been identified in the islands of St Barthélemy (St Barts) and French St Martin.

According to the Daily Herald of St Maarten, three people were confirmed as testing positive for the virus by the Institut Pasteur Laboratory of Guadeloupe, which did the tests.

The newspaper said the cases involves a resident of St Barts and his visiting relatives.
The man has reportedly been confined to his home with daily surveillance.

This is the first report of the virus reaching the Caribbean since it began spreading from China in December last year.

Trinidad and Tobago first instituted a 14-day ban on visitors coming from China. Five other countries have since been added to that list: South Korea, Italy, Japan, Iran and Singapore.

More than 85,000 people in more than 50 countries have been infected with the virus. As of Sunday afternoon, about 3,000 people were reported to have died of it worldwide.

There is no vaccine for the flu-like illness as yet.