Covid counter: Four weekend deaths take September tally to 42

The Ministry of Health announced three more Covid-19-related fatalities this morning, which took the country’s death toll as a result of the novel coronavirus to four this weekend and 42 for the month of September. The deceased patients were described as one elderly male and two elderly females—all with co-morbidities.

There have been 64 deaths since the onset of the pandemic with roughly two thirds of those coming this month, which makes September the deadliest period of the pandemic so far.

Photo: The world is grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Anthony Parkinson, technical director of Hospital Services, has urged positive patients in ‘home isolation’ to contact the Ministry of Health promptly if they experience shortness of breath, while Dr Avery Hinds, technical director of the Epidemiological Division, warned about protecting elderly persons with co-morbidities like hypertension and diabetes, who have been the most vulnerable group.

There were an additional 13 positive cases this morning, which took the tally since the onset of the virus to 3,866 cases from 25,932 unique patient tests.

At present, there are 2,049 active cases of the virus with 81 hospitalised and 131 in step-down facilities. The Ministry of Health did not provide the figure of persons in home isolation but the figure is believed to be 1,824—which is arrived at by subtracting the number of patients who are hospitalised, in step-down facilities or recently positive and still to be assigned by the County Medical Officer Health (CMOH) offices, from the active case load.

From the hospitalised patients, 12 are receiving special care with two at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 10 in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the Couva Hospital.

The Ministry of Health records 835 persons discharged from public health facilities since the virus first showed up on these shores, with another 918 ‘recovered community cases’—the latter refers to persons who were in home isolation and subsequently met the discharge criteria to be released from self-isolation.

Photo: A patient is tested for hypertension.

Trinidad and Tobago vs Covid-19 (in numbers)

(Editor’s Note: the infections are recorded on the day they are announced by the Ministry of Health)

Local infections of Covid-19 in first wave (27 March to 26 April)

  • 50 cases in 31 days with 8 deaths.

Local infections of Covid-19 in second wave (20 July to 17 August)

  • 436 cases in 29 days with 4 deaths.

Local infections of Covid-19 since gov’t roll-backs (18 August to 13 September)

  • 2,350 cases in 26 days with 41 deaths.

Local infections of Covid-19 since renewed roll-backs (14 September to 20 September)

  • 818 cases in 7 days with 11 deaths.
Photo: A man wears a protective face mask as a preventive measure against the new coronavirus in Caracas, Venezuela on 24 March 2020.
(Copyright AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

The Ministry of Health reminds members of the public to adhere to the ‘new normal’ and:

  • Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when you go out in public;
  • Keep your distance from others (six feet);
  • Stay home if you are ill;
  • Clean then sanitise surfaces, such as tabletops, door knobs and cell phones;
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based sanitiser;
  • Cough into a tissue or into the crook of your elbow;
  • Avoid touching your face.

Persons are urged to call Covid-19 hotline numbers: 877-WELL, 87-SWRHA or 877-3742 (Trinidad) and 800-HEAL (Tobago) if they feel unwell; or they can report a possible breach of Covid-19 regulations by calling 555, or sending messages—inclusive of photographs and videos—to the Police App or via Whats App to 482-GARY.

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