Tobago covid19 patient unfit to travel to Trinidad

The third individual in Tobago to test positive for the novel coronavirus (covid19) is being closely monitored at the medical ward of the Scarborough General Hospital.Acting County Medical Officer of Health Dr Tiffany Hoyte told reporters on Tuesday the patient has been stabilised but is not yet fit to be transferred to Trinidad via a Coast Guard vessel for further treatment.

And, in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus, a no-visitor policy has since been instituted at the ward, Dr Victor Wheeler, the hospital's acting Medical Chief of Staff said on Tuesday."That is part of our efforts to manage with this patient," he said during a virtual news conference, hosted by the Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development, at Scarborough Library."We have had to make some adjustments to the hospital as a result and we have instituted a no-visiting policy for the medical ward. I hope that you bear with us during this time. There will be no visiting on the medical ward."Wheeler, a member of the division's covid19 task force, added the hospital has also set up a special area in the accident and emergency department and some adjustments have also been made to the accident and emergency department to screen, assess and manage patients who are suspected of being covid19 positive.'"This way, we will have a totally separate area of the accident and emergency department that will prevent other patients who access the accident and emergency department from being in contact with any person who is suspected."Wheeler said the area, which is fully self-contained with its own washroom facilities, should be operational by today.Hoyte told reporters the island's first confirmed covid19 patient is still receiving treatment in Trinidad while the second patient to have tested positive, a male health care worker at the hospital, was expected to be transferred to Trinidad on Tuesday.Hoyte said contact tracing for all of the confirmed cases is ongoing."All the primary and secondary contacts of our confirmed cases are being placed in quarantine." She said 30 swab tests have been carried out for covid19 in Tobago, three of which have tested positive.Five results are pending while 22 turned out to be negative.Hoyte urged Tobagonians to follow the covid19 guidelines."Stay at home and stay safe. The key to containment of this is rapid identification, early isolation and contact tracing."