(Trinidad Guardian) T&T yesterday recorded its second deadliest day since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with six deaths in 24 hours. It was one short of September 11, 2020, when the country recorded seven deaths.
According to the Ministry of Health, the six victims included two elderly males and one middle-aged male with comorbidities, as well as two middle-aged males and one middle-aged female without significant comorbidities.
Since the start of April 2021, T&T began to record a spike in cases at the start of April 2021 and by mid-month, the spike in deaths started. From April 15 to the present, T&T has recorded 39 deaths, with 16 of those occurring in the last four days since the start of May.
The current death toll stands at 185.
In the last 24 hours, 235 cases were reported, marking the fifth-highest jump since the pandemic began.
Notably, the top five highest jumps in daily reported cases have occurred in the last week. These cases have brought the total number of people infected by the disease to 11,706.
Of this total, active cases stand at a record high of 2,689.
Active cases include COVID-19-positive people isolated at home, in step-down facilities, or in hospitals across the country.
T&T’s COVID-19 hospitals are now at a record high occupancy.
With a total of 264 in hospital, T&T’s overall COVID-19 hospital occupancy stands at 49 per cent across all levels of care.
Health officials have warned that T&T’s parallel healthcare system may collapse by the end of next week based on current trends.
Based on the latest numbers from the Ministry of Health, there are 116 people hospitalised at the Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility, marking a 56 per cent occupancy—the third-highest number to date.
The Caura Hospital is currently at a 63 per cent occupancy level, its fourth-highest to date.
At Arima, the 20 hospitalised patients result in a 28 per cent occupancy. However, the Augustus Long Hospital is near capacity, reporting an 83 per cent occupancy with 40 patients warded there.
According to the Health Ministry’s numbers, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU) patients are only at the Couva Hospital. Still, these ICU and HDU numbers are at record highest, at 12 and 19, respectively.
This results in a 67 per cent occupancy at Couva’s ICU and a 50 per cent occupancy at the hospital’s HDU.
Tobago is also recording record COVID-19 numbers.
Yesterday, the island reported ten new cases, the third-highest spike in cases, tied with October 1, 2020.
The highest daily spike in cases occurred on October 8, 2020, with 24 cases.
These new cases brought Tobago’s active cases to a record high of 53, with total cases standing at 247.
There are 25 people hospitalised on the island, 15 in step-down facilities and three patients were discharged in the last 24 hours.
