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British Airways passengers may face quarantine after fellow traveller to Barbados tests positive for coronavirus

Passengers who travelled on a British Airways flight from Gatwick to Barbados may be required to spend a week in quarantine after a 76-year-old tested positive for coronavirus on arrival to the Caribbean island.

Passengers who travelled on a British Airways flight from Gatwick to Barbados may be required to spend a week in quarantine after a 76-year-old tested positive for coronavirus on arrival to the Caribbean island.

The passenger, a 76-year-old Barbadian, was aboard BA flight 2155, which arrived at Grantley Adams airport on Saturday afternoon.

The Foreign Office warns British visitors to the island: “If you arrive in Barbados without being tested for Covid, you will be subjected to a mandatory test on arrival.

"You will need to isolate until the test results are provided. This can take a maximum of 48 hours.”

In fact, the results were produced more swiftly.

Of a total of 218 passengers on board, 149 had valid certificates showing they had tested negative for Covid-19.

The remaining 69 were tested and one was found to be positive.

That passenger, believed to be male, was taken to the quarantine and isolation centre at Harrison Point in the northern parish of St Lucy.

Seven patients are now in isolation at the specially built centre.

The new diagnosis brought the number of confirmed cases on the island to 105, of whom 91 have recovered. Seven have died.

Local accounts, which The Independent has not been able to verify, say that the passenger did not use a mask throughout the flight as British Airways requires.

It has also been reported that others seated around the passenger will be required to quarantine for at least a week.

The Independent has not received a response to its enquiries from the Barbadian government.

A spokesperson for British Airways said: “The safety and security of our customers and colleagues is always our first priority, and we work closely with the relevant authorities to adhere to international government requirements.”

Barbados is currently considering a scheme to allow foreign professionals to work remotely from the island for up to a year.

Reference: Independent: Simon Calder 1 day ago: 21st July 2020