Trinidad and Tobago has recorded its second death and 66th COVID-19 case.
The Ministry of Health made the announcement in its first daily update on Friday.
“The Ministry of Health informs the population that today, Friday 27th March, despite the best efforts of the health care professionals, a second national of T&T who tested positive for COVID-19 has died,” the release said.
As per the ministry’s policy, it only revealed that the deceased T&T citizen was an elderly man with pre-existing medical complications but Guardian Media understands he died on Thursday.
The news comes almost 48 hours after the ministry announced this country’s first death due to the virus on Wednesday night. That patient was identified as Hansel Leon, 77.
The release also stated that the 66th overall case is a Tobago health worker.
Guardian Media understands that the worker is attached to the Scarborough General Hospital and tested positive early Friday.
In a release, the Tobago Regional Health Authority that the worker has been isolated, staff meetings held and staff provided with psychological support. Contact tracing has also been initiated. It also noted that the hospital will be sanitised and the scheduled cleaning and disinfection will continue. This was the second case reported in Tobago. So far, 15 Tobago samples have been sent to CARPHA for testing.
Thus far, the Caribbean Public Health Agency has tested 453 T&T samples with 66 people testing positive. Some 47 of these 66 patients were from among a group of 68 nationals who recently returned home from an ill-fated Caribbean cruise and were immediately quarantined in Balandra.
Of those who were admitted with the virus, one person has recovered and has been discharged.
