Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards, chief medical officer at the health ministry, said the recent increase in the daily number of positive cases of Covid-19 was cause for concern.
Abdool-Richards, who presented a clinical update of the country’s Covid-19 status at the end of Epidemiological Week 15 during the Covid-19 virtual press conference, said it would take place at 4 p.m. On Sunday, there were 134 confirmed cases of Covid-19, resulting from test samples taken during the period April 15-17.
“The increase in the number of positive Covid cases has led to the total number of active cases rising to 847.”
She said Trinidad and Tobago had recorded two more Covid-19 deaths in the past 48 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 153.
‘We have seen a significant increase in hospital occupancy levels. At Epidemiological Week 11, for example, we had a total occupancy of two percent in the hospital. At the end of Week 15, we saw a significant increase in hospital occupancy levels, up to 24 percent.
‘In terms of ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and HDU (High Dependency Unit) levels, ICU levels have risen over a period of three weeks from about two to five percent to 25 percent. HDU levels also increased to 10 percent, where we were previously between zero and four percent between weeks 1 and 11.
“The trend of the seven-day moving average number of Covid-19 cases per day over a period of seven weeks is even more worrying. This trend led to cases that were approximately week three to 11, and at the end of Week 14 we saw an increase from three to 32, and from today to the end of Week 15, the number has basically doubled to 77 cases per day last week, ”Abdool-Richards remarked.
About the country’s vaccination program, she said that at 16:00 yesterday (Sunday) 16,462 people had received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
‘We do have the vaccine now available for people who are considered high exposure and high risk, ie health workers and the elderly (over 60 years). Vaccinations, however, are just an extra layer of protection in the fight against Covid-19. ”
Abdool-Richards said that after the repatriation of 76 citizens of St Vincent and the Grenadines last Thursday, there will be another repatriation exercise on Wednesday, involving the return of citizens from Miami.
She said Caribbean Airlines had confirmed bookings for 128 adults and three babies, for a total of 131 nationals returning.
‘The purpose of these repatriation exercises is to make the safety of our citizens in the US, Canada, Barbados, the United Kingdom and other countries return safe, and also to keep members of their families and the population safe.
Abdool-Richards appealed to the population to adhere to the 3W protocols to wear your mask properly, wash your hands regularly and keep an eye on your distance.
“Given the increasing number of cases of Covid-19, let us also avoid congregation where necessary, and let us also stay at home and contact the Ministry of Health at 800-WELL or 877-WELL if we have any symptoms that may indicate Covid -19.
“Let us keep ourselves, our families, our collaborators and our country safe,” Abdool-Richards said.