BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE number of COVID-19 cases in the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago continues to increase and health officials are pleading with residents to take the necessary precautions to prevent themselves from contracting the virus and to stay home.
Yesterday (May 13), the Ministry of Health reported 615 positive cases which reflected samples taken over a five-day period from Friday, May 7 to Tuesday May 11.
In a media statement, the Ministry said that while the normal reporting timeframe covers samples taken within two to three days, the substantial increase in the positive cases, and the resulting number of samples collected and processed at testing sites throughout the country, has affected the reporting timeline in this instance.
The Ministry noted that one of the reasons for the spike could be as a result of the testing sites being closed on weekends.
“It should also be noted that the 99 positive cases reported on Monday 10th May, 2021 may have been as a result of the normal weekend closure of some of the testing sites and some of the health facilities where swabbing takes place.
“Thus, it should be underscored that the reported positive cases reflect a high percentage of infection within the population. The cases tested reflected a positivity rate in excess of 40%, which is a cause for significant concern,” the Ministry said.
At a recent press conference, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley pleaded for citizens to stay home unless they have essential business to conduct.
Further, a strict curfew was implemented to prevent any fallout from the spike in COVID-19 cases in the health sector.
The Ministry has again urged the population to follow all the personal health guidelines to avoid becoming infected or spreading the virus.
Trinidad and Tobago is one of the territories in the region that saw major community spread of the virus after reporting more than 14,400 cases on the islands.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, 9,594 cases are said to have recovered and a further 4,588 are said to still being active.
