Coronavirus reaches South America's Falkland Islands near Antarctica

[Judi Lynn]

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 territory’s 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.

https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/health/coronavirus-reaches-south-americas-falkland-islands-near-antarctica/1918704/

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Probably a refugee, trying to escape, but instead, brought the disease w/ them and thus, ...

possibly contaminated others with their arrival.

I like it when I read the story about a couple from Quebec, that all of a sudden showed up in a remote upper North Canadian province town, and the natives, realizing their danger, immediately sent them packing, forcing the two to leave on the next flight.

I suspect that every town, every state, every Country will undergo something like this, where the natives will start backlashing against these outsiders, and fighting against the very real possibility of the CV being brought into their small communities, where the medical resources are probably already stretched thin.

I think this is a good idea. These towns really don't have the resources to handle the CV. There are quite a few small towns in rural America that are like this, that the community as a whole wouldn't be able to handle a massive influx of possible CV carriers/victims. I speak from experience, being that my Mom and Dad lived near a small town of over 8000 people in MO, and even this town didn't have the resources to handle a stroke or heart attack, had to ship them 50 miles away to Springfield MO for treatment. Even a relatively small procedure like dental work had to be outsourced to a larger town/over 50 miles away (over a two lane highway, not a good thing).