St. John’s, Antigua, March 11, 2021 – A 34-year-old male patient at Mount St. John’s Medical Centre (MSJMC) has died of COVID-19, making him the youngest person in the country to die of the virus since the pandemic started.
The male patient, with no significant co-morbidities, was admitted to the hospital on February 12, 2021 after testing positive for COVID-19 three days prior to admission. The patient has been undergoing treatment since then, which included ventilator support. Despite our best efforts, the patient died this morning March 11, 2021 at 8:15am.
“All of these deaths are difficult for all of us,” said Dr. Albert Duncan, MSJMC Medical Director. “We are heartbroken that COVID-19 has taken the life of such a young person. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family and all others who have lost a loved one to this virus.”
“Early on in this crisis, the message to young people was, you can spread it silently to someone who can’t afford to have it. So, don’t think about yourself, think about the person who you could infect, who you will never forgive yourself for if you lost them because of that. That’s really been a message that we have been trying to put out there for a long time. But we’ve also said – It could be you. Young people really do have a real risk of having serious illness.”
Continued the Medical Director; “This is another tragic milestone. Young, healthy people are low on the priority list for the vaccine rollout. That means that modifying behavior now – if you are not already doing this – can save lives.
“And that is the crux of it. Our messaging is no longer about merely flattening the curve to prevent our hospital from overflowing. Now with vaccines, our policies and our individual choices can together save a far larger number of lives. That challenge is ours to confront – The sooner that reality sets in, the better.”
Important safety measures that have been scientifically-proven to reduce the spread of COVID-19, includes:*_
▪️Wearing a mask
▪️Practicing social distancing
▪️Avoiding large gatherings
MSJMC encourages all eligible residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available and encourage eligible family members and friends to join them in getting the vaccine.
Additional data, including whether the patient was a resident or tourist (Imported/Non-Imported Case) will be available as a part of the National COVID-19 Dashboard provided by the Ministry of Health Wellness & the Environment.
The media are asked to respect the wishes of the family, and the interests of staff at the hospital to avoid any disruption to operational services.
