Rihanna donates a million for virus

Barbadian star Rihanna has offered to donate BDS$1.4 million (KY$575,000) to the Barbados government can purchase ventilators to help treat victims of the coronavirus outbreak.

Rihanna was praised by Mia Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados, during an address she made in parliament. The outbreak has also seen furniture retailer Courts, donate quarantine beds and Sagicor has given the government use of temperature scanners – one for the airport and one for the seaport. Barbados has 27 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Mottley has announced new measures to tackle the spread of the virus. The efforts introduced include postponement of elective surgeries and reduced and restricted visiting hours at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Barbados’ only general hospital.

Visitors from the UK, Europe and the US arriving in Barbados will be placed in compulsory quarantine for 14 days, as with many countries in the region.

The decision was made after three new COVID-19 cases were identified after arriving on the island from New York.