Case report on Balandra 3 sent to PAHO

A report on the three recent covid19 cases found at the Balandra quarantine facility has been sent to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for review. Last Sunday, Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram described the three most recent infections as “highly unusual,” as they were only detected after the 14-day incubation period.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said TT will seek international assistance for these three cases, to help understand what may have caused the infection after negative tests during the quarantine.

In the Ministry of Health’s virtual press conference on Wednesday morning, Parasram said he had received a summary report from the chief medical officer of health, Dr Allana Quamina-Best.

In the report, she said she suspects the three Balandra cases may have had close contact with other people there and tested positive as a result. The quarantine facility is at a Seventh Day Adventist camp. This report was forwarded to PAHO for review and to look at other scenarios that may have lead to the positive tests.

Asked for an update on the validation process by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for private labs to begin testing, Parasram said several submissions have been received and site visits will soon begin. He said PAHO provided a quality assurance team and CARPHA will do the validation.

In a clinical update, as of Wednesday morning, 1,282 samles have been sent to CARPHA. TT had 114 cases, eight deaths and 19 discharged.

There are 60 patients warded at Caura and Couva Hospitals. Twelve are in Caura, all in a stable condition, and two in the suspected-covid19 ward. Couva has 48 people, with two patients in the high dependency unit and no patients needing intensive care. Forty-six are in a stable condition.

At the Sangre Grande step-down facility, there are 26 patients. Parasram said other regional health authorities are finding step-down facility locations in their region.