Last Updated on March 24, 2020, 2:30 AM AST by Anthony Morris
A total of 50 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded to date in Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Health announced during a release on Sunday that a new patient had tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday night and with the emergence of this case has taken the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country to 50.
The ministry also said that around 298 people had been tested for the virus and 50 cases were found positive and that all of the confirmed cases were imported.
The news of the new confirmed case and the total toll reaching 50 has come after a day of the reports that 40 passengers from a Caribbean cruise had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The people from the cruise returned home from Guadeloupe.
The Health Minister has announced that 40 out of the group of total 68 nationals who had returned to Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday from Guadeloupe and they had tested positive for the coronavirus.
As a result of a batch of positive tests, Dr Roshan Parasram, Trinidad and Tobago’s Chief Medical Officer has advised that the remaining 20 nationals who have been quarantined at Camp Balandra would be subjected to more monitoring and an addition to that they would have to undergo a new 14-day quarantine period.
The ministry advised the public again to take all the necessary safety precautions to stay safe from the virus.
These precautions include:
· Washing of hands properly with soap and water.
. If soap and water are not available, then using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
· Covering the nose and mouth with a piece of cloth or tissue while coughing or sneezing.
· Disposing of the tissue immediately after use.
· Coughing and sneezing into the bent arm in case a tissue is not available.
· Touching the face should be avoided.
· Hard surfaces such as tabletops, handrails, doorknobs and trolleys should be sanitized as often as possible.
· Close contact with people having flu-like symptoms should be avoided.
· If someone feels ill, they should stay at home.
The advisory has also recommended that all public vehicles should be operated with open windows, and their occupancy shall be limited.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
