BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Barbados today announced three more cases of COVID-19, reiterating that it has no intention of completely shutting down its borders as it comes to grips with the virus that has been blamed for more than 8,000 deaths across the globe.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley, flanked by government ministers as well as senior health officials, told a news conference that none of the new cases originated on the island, including a passenger on a cruise ship.

Mottley said that the first of the new cases was the spouse of a visiting woman, who was one of the first two people to be tested and found positive two days ago.

“The gentleman, I am told, never left her side and was in isolation with her even when she went into isolation as soon as the testing was done. It is therefore no surprise to the medical officials that he has tested positive.”

She said that the second new case is that of a 60-year-old Barbadian who arrived from the United States on the weekend and “who developed symptoms soon after arriving in Barbados”.

“We have been monitoring him for a few days and he also has tested positive,” she said, noting that the third individual was a passenger on a cruise line who had never visited the island, and the testing was done at the request of the unnamed cruise line.

She said with respect to the first two new cases, “there is a significant amount of contact tracing that is still being done…and it is too early for the medical officials to advise us as to the results”.

“With respect to the cruise ship, this morning I gave instructions that there should be no shore leave …and I also gave instructions that we will continue to facilitate the persons who are disembarking the ships to go to the Grantley Adams International Airport only in order to be able to take their flights out.”

Mottley said the last flight out will be on Sunday and that the crew will not be allowed to go ashore.

“We have an obligation to these ships. These ships call Barbados home and there is a legal and contractual and moral, ethical and humanitarian obligation that we have. I will say to you that we did receive a request last week with respect to being able to test four or five or six cases on board one ship and we refused.”

Mottley said her administration had also taken the decision that any Barbadian arriving from the USA, United Kingdom or elsewhere in Europe will have to quarantine or self-quarantine for 14 days going forward.

She said discussions were held earlier on Thursday with US-based airlines and the quarantine and self-quarantine will be for all persons arriving from Sunday, March 22.