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Guernsey health teams worked through the night to double the size of their hospital covid testing centre in response to the recent spike in cases, which has seen numbers jump to 52 in a number of days.
The island started with four positive cases on Friday – one teenager and three adults, spread across four households. 48 of the active cases are linked to the outbreak revealed by those tests on Friday.
It’s still unclear as to where the outbreak originated from, but cases have been discovered across at least seven educational sites as the island, which has been following an elimination strategy, went into lockdown to try to stamp out the spread of the disease.
The Civil Contingencies Authority - the panel of politicians and officials responsible for emergency decision-making on the island - said the island has the capacity to test 1,000 people a day and that teams are working around the clock to track and trace individuals with the virus.
Pictured: The updated covid statistics.
During the latest media briefing, Guernsey's Director of Public Health, Dr Nicola Brink reassured the public in the case of further positive results.
Due to enhanced track and trace, a wide net is being thrown and the CCA is expecting to see a rise in cases in the days to come.
In response to the rising cases, the island’s hospital drive-through testing centre has now been expanded, with teams working between 23:00 last night and 03:00 this morning to double it and provide an extra 4.5m of capacity.
Pictured: Guernsey's Public Health Director, Dr Nicola Brink.
The extension of the centre will allow at least 1,000 test swabs to be taken daily.
Swabbing teams are now working between 08:00 and 23:00 each day, with pathology staff working through the night to turn around results as quickly as possible.
The testing centre at the Hospital nearly doubled in size last night.
— States of Guernsey (@Govgg) January 25, 2021
From 11pm-3am the Estates Team provided the swabbing teams with an additional 4.5m by extending the tent. This now allows 4 cars & travel through the tent is more efficient.
More at: https://t.co/ZEwXbXwDJI pic.twitter.com/uMTQ8PTe2B
Meanwhile, senior staff at the island's Princess Elizabeth Hospital are urging islanders to make a "community-wide effort" to keep all but essential cases out so that it doesn't become overwhelmed due to covid.
Guernsey's Medical Director Dr Peter Rabey said the PEH is already experiencing a high number of admissions due to seasonal illnesses, prompting concerns about availability of bed space.
The island's residents are also now being "strongly recommended" to wear masks.
Pictured: Guernsey people are being urged to avoid "dangerous DIY" and "reckless recreation" in order to protect the hospital's capacity to treat anyone sick with covid.
“It’s not being made compulsory at the moment, but it’s strong, strong advice, that people wear masks," the island's Chief Minister and head of its emergency authority, Peter Ferbrache, said.
Inter-island travel between Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm is now essentially closed off due to the lockdown restrictions.
The Government of Sark's Pandemic Emergency Committee has issued a statement about travel to and from the island, which is now only permitted if authorisation is given beforehand.
Picture: Only pre-authorised travel is now allowed between Guernsey and Sark.
Meanwhile, in Alderney, unrestricted travel from Guernsey is no more.
The States of Alderney said people coming to the island should self-isolate for two weeks.
Herm is now closed to visitors as well.
Pictured: Herm is now closed for the period of lockdown.
The booking office has shut, the last trident sailing has come and gone and all private boaters are banned from landing.
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