Grenada Officials Confirm COVID-19 Outbreak at Resort

Sandals Grenada and government officials confirmed an outbreak of 26 COVID-19 cases at the upscale all-inclusive property this weekend.

At a Sunday press briefing, government officials said an outbreak had occurred among “guests and employees, as well as their contacts.”

Nickolas Steele, Grenada’s health minister, initially ordered Sandals officials to “move their guests off the island as quickly as possible” and divert arriving guests to “other hotels in other countries,” according to the report. Steele added he was investigating “why, when and how the virus was able to spread at the hotel,” and if the outbreak resulted from “breaches of COVID-19 regulations or a ‘flaw’ in the protocols.”

Officials appeared to back off the evacuation demand Monday, as a later report said the Health Ministry now considers Sandals Grenada “a place of screening and assessment.” A Grenada Tourism Authority official declined to comment Monday, saying Keith Mitchell, Grenada’s prime minister, will speak “to the nation for status on this situation” in an address this evening.

However, a Sandals official confirmed the outbreak Monday and said the resort has not been evacuated. “Grenada’s situation is an isolated one, the asymptomatic individuals were quickly identified, and we are collaborating with public health authorities to develop key learnings further,” said the official in an email statement.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the government has asked that we pause the acceptance of new arrivals for the next several days,” the statement adds. “However, the resort is currently open and fully operational for guests to enjoy.”

Additional samples are being tested, including those from 200 hotel workers, Dr. Shawn Charles, Grenada’s acting chief medical officer, said Sunday. Charles expects local COVID-19 cases will increase “significantly” in the next few days.

Grenada requires visitors to apply for a “Pure Safe Travel” certificate prior to departure; travelers must also arrive with proof of a negative PCR test result taken within seven days of departing. Approved visitors are transferred to approved accommodations with the option of remaining at the resort for their entire stay or undergoing a second COVID-19 PCR test on day four of their visit to extend their stay.

The New Grenada Today article reports guests at Sandals Grenada had mingled “openly with staff who in turn return to the wider community after work,” and adds a Sandals employee and 13 family members are among those who have “tested positive and are in quarantine.”

“We have taken industry-leading steps, including creating and implementing stringent health and safety protocols through our Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness at of our resorts,” the Sandals statement adds.

“These procedures have helped ensure all proven measures recommended by leading international public health authorities are taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to the maximum extent possible, including rigorous cleaning and sanitization procedures, practicing smart and recommended public health behaviors, and ongoing testing, among others.”