NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (November 03, 2020) — Dr. Judy Nisbett, Chair of the Nevis COVID-19 Task Force who is also the Medical Officer of Health on the island, has confirmed reports of a number of cases of fish poisoning treated at the Alexandra Hospital.

She was at the time responding to a question at the Nevis COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre Briefing at Long Point on November 02, 2020, inquiring of possible cases of fish positioning on Nevis due to a number of cases reported on St. Kitts.

“We have had confirmed cases of fish poisoning reported from the Alexandra Hospital, however, it’s not a large number of reports. We have had five for last week.

“What we are doing now is to determine what’s the cause, if there is a link to any particular source and once we have done that investigation, then we will be able to say for sure if there is a particular site that fishermen, for example, should not fish,” she said.

Meantime, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources in St. Kitts in a press statement issued on November 02, 2020 stated that the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources is currently investigating reports of fish poisoning in St. Kitts, particularly at the Basseterre Fisheries Complex, and as a result had suspended its Fresh Fish Programme until the source of the alleged poisoning is discovered.

“The Department is taking the necessary steps to ensure food safety and in so doing is examining its current stock of fish at the Basseterre Fisheries Complex that was being offered for sale. Additional measures to address these reports include the removal of all fish from the complex and the sanitizing of the complex. The investigations are continuing with the assistance of the Bureau of Standards.

All protocols are being reviewed with an effort to identifying and mitigating any public health threats. The Department wishes to advise all concerned that if an illness is suspected related to fish poisoning, medical care should be sought immediately and public health authorities should be notified,” the statement said.