Another test shows PM still COVID positive

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Gail Alexander

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is still positive for the COVID-19 virus and remains isolated and under treatment in Tobago.

Dr Rowley has entered a third week with the virus after he tested positive on April 6. He’s under quarantine at the official residence of the Prime Minister in Blenheim, Tobago, where he’s been staying since the Tuesday prior to the Easter weekend.

Yesterday the Office of the Prime Minister stated that Dr Rowley, 71, will remain in isolation at the official residence and under the care and supervision of the medical professionals from the Tobago Regional Health Authority.

He has continued monitoring matters and doing work while under treatment.

Yesterday he announced Cabinet changes following last Saturday’s sudden death of Energy Minister Franklin Khan.

In addition to being shocked and saddened by Khan’s death, Dr Rowley posted on his Facebook page last Sunday, “Trying hard to cope with the many challenges as they come.”

“Just heard of an accident in my constituency where persons were burnt to death in a motor vehicle,” he said before offering condolences to the families.

Just before midnight last Sunday he also slammed Opposition COVID statements.

Rowley’s stated, “Please. Somebody help me! I’m trying to figure out exactly what is the latest UNC undermining strategy.”

“On this Sunday night news, I saw the MP for Couva South apparently stumbling to read an attack on the latest rollback of selected national activities on the day when we reported almost record levels of infection in community spread of the Covid-19 virus,” he said.

He added: “He claims that we should not have any of these restrictions because they will destroy the economy. What do they think an explosion of COVID-19 sickness will do, protect and expand the economy?

If we don’t do any disruption now as the UNC is demanding, will the economy be better off in a full-blown COVID-19 take over eventually requiring full-scale lockdown as some countries are currently experiencing?

Interestingly the same spokesman who advocates the (sic) ‘do nothing” to “protect the economy’ then says that the current unacceptable increase today should be blamed on the Government for not shutting down Tobago and elsewhere during and around Easter.”

“So apparently there was no economic consideration for Easter activities. Incidentally, the spike we are facing now didn’t start in Tobago. Well before Easter, the CMO’s maps showed a progression from Deep South to Caroni to the East-West Corridor. Incidentally, he wants data. The most worrisome data is an increase in hospital occupancy from 5% to 25% in the last couple of weeks.

That trajectory is the biggest threat to the economy but does the UNC really care about the economy or do they just say anything or do anything that they think will undermine a national fight when common sense tells us that we should all be pulling together. Talking on both sides of an issue and from both sides of your mouth is not helpful it is pitifully self-serving.”

Sources yesterday confirmed three people from the OPM tested positive for COVID last week and the office was sanitised and operations are now running as normal.