Barbados has confirmed two cases of Covid-19, with of which are imported from the United States.

A 39-year-old Barbadian woman who returned home from the United  States tested positive while the other case is a 48-year-old American who arrived in Barbados on March 13.

Both showed symptoms and were among 14 people who were tested yesterday at the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory. While they remain in quarantine for 14 days  Barbados’ Minister of Health Jeffrey Bostic has initiated protocols for contact tracing, to identify anyone who would have come into close contact with the two patients.

We are now at Stage 1 of our national COVID-19 preparedness plan where the primary focus is containment to prevent community spread,” Bostic said in a Facebook live address.

The virus is present in St Lucia, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname. There are also confirmed cases in parts of the French- and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and the Bahamas.

  The island’s Health Minister has also urged over 70 years old to stay indoors for the next three months to reduce their possibility of contracting the coronavirus.

The 2020 Oistins’ Festival scheduled for  April 5 to 13 has been postponed.