MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands' hospitalized child tested coronavirus negative and is off ventilator

The child has been diagnosed with a different but serious viral respiratory infection for which she has been receiving treatment and is breathing on her own accord

The Falkland Islands hospital, KEMH reported on Wednesday that there are no Coronavirus tested positive cases, and the young child on a ventilator with symptoms of the virus, based on the results received from the UK, is free of the disease.

She has been diagnosed with a different but serious viral respiratory infection for which she has been receiving treatment, and of Wednesday morning she has come off the ventilator and is breathing of her own accord, although she remains seriously unwell.

On Tuesday KEMH received test results for 29 specimens sent to the UK – all of which were negative. A further 30 results were expected to be available during the day. Further specimens will be returning on the next Airbridge scheduled to leave for UK.

The next Airbridge is due to arrive in the Islands on the evening of Friday 3 April and depart early hours of the morning on Sunday 5 April. FIG will continue to work with UK's Minister of Defense to ensure that key essential passengers including medical staff are able to still travel over this period.

A patient was admitted with COVID-19 like respiratory problems from MPA on Tuesday following a chest x-ray and is being looked after as a precautionary measure in the isolation area of the hospital. The patient is not being ventilated. Specimens have been taken and will be sent back to the UK for testing.

KEMH can also confirm that a fisherman was flown out by medevac to Chile yesterday with a severe hand injury which requires highly specialist complex surgery.

Advice on FIG's COVID-19 response is dynamic. To keep updates watch out for further statements from the Government in local media and through the FIG and Community Facebook pages, the web page fig.gov.fk/covid-19 and other channels.