Two new swine flu cases in Tobago

(Trinidad Express) – Preliminary tests conducted on two of three women in Tobago who were screened for the Influenza A/H1N1 Virus, otherwise known as swine flu, have returned positive.

The news came on Wednesday, even as the Health Ministry gave the all clear to those passengers who travelled on American Airlines flight 1647 on May 30 from Miami to the Piarco International Airport, and who may have been exposed to the virus, to resume their social lives.

And as with the two passengers from flight AA 1647 who recently tested positive for the virus, health officials again declined to reveal any personal information about the two suspected cases in Tobago, citing patient confidentiality.

Health Minister Jerry Narace made the disclosure about the two new suspected cases in Tobago during an awards function at the ministry’s head office in Port of Spain on Wednesday. He said, however, that while the preliminary tests were reading positive, they were still awaiting “confirmatory results” which should be available within the next 36 hours.

Narace also said the two women in Tobago who are now suspected to have the virus did not attend the recent 2010 World Cup qualifier at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, where hundreds of fans turned out to support the Soca Warriors in their 3-2 loss to Costa Rica.