Coronavirus reaches South America's Falkland Islands near Antarctica
Source: Agence France-Presse
By: AFP | Published: April 4, 2020 11:24:25 AM
Located in the southern Atlantic Ocean, the British overseas territory had been among a dwindling number of remote places that have reported no COVID-19 cases during the pandemic.
In some respects we are fortunate that we have been COVID-19 free until now, as we have taken
this time to plan our approach, Chief Medical Officer Dr Rebecca Edwards said.
(Reuters photo)
The Falklands Islands government has confirmed the territorys first case of the new coronavirus. A patient tested positive after being admitted to hospital with symptoms on March 31, according to a statement released on Friday that said they were in isolation and in stable condition.
Located in the southern Atlantic Ocean, the British overseas territory had been among a dwindling number of remote places that have reported no COVID-19 cases during the pandemic. Health authorities in the Falklands home to 3,400 people have been sending samples to the UK for testing, the statement said.
We have reorganised the hospital and staffing arrangements, and put our supplies and pharmaceuticals in place, which many countries were not in a position to do before they identified their first cases. The disparate group of places to officially remain untouched by the pandemic include Samoa, Turkmenistan, North Korea and bases on the frozen continent of Antarctica.
Argentina, which invaded and briefly occupied the territory in 1982, claims sovereignty over the islands and calls them Las Islas Malvinas.
Read more: https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/health/coronavirus-reaches-south-americas-falkland-islands-near-antarctica/1918704/
rickford66
(5,524 posts)rickford66
(5,524 posts)Not close to the Falklands as another poster noted.
OnlinePoker
(5,722 posts)The capital, Stanley is 51.42 degrees south. As a reference, London, UK is 51.30 degrees north and I don't think people in the UK think they're near the Arctic.
Judi Lynn
(160,545 posts)OnlinePoker
(5,722 posts)The Canada/U.S. border runs along the 49th parallel. Adding an extra 2 1/2 degrees (just north of Calgary, Alberta) to that wouldn't make it anywhere near the Arctic so it works the same going south.
mwooldri
(10,303 posts)Seems like it came in on a military plane... Probably some asymptomatic I bet.