CMO: 100 more nationals return this weekend

CHIEF Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram said that more than 100 nationals from various countries were scheduled to return this weekend.

He was speaking Wednesday during the covid19 virtual media briefing.

Parasram said the total number of positive cases remained at 133, the total number of discharges at 117 and eight people were hospitalised at the Caura facility. He reported that there was significant reduction at quarantine facilities as 290 returning nationals from the Enchantment of the Sea cruise ship were discharged. He said the 290 would be followed up for an additional seven days at home with monitoring from the country medical officers of health and support of the police to monitor that people abide by the quarantine regulations and stay at home.

There were 142 people remaining at quarantine facilities: 30 at UWI Penal/Debe Campus; 17 at Chancellor Hotel; 21 at National Academy for the Performing Arts; 14 at Cascadia Hotel; 15 at Vision on Mission; and 45 from UWI Cave Hall Campus at Freedom Hall at UWI St Augustine. He said the students quarantined at UWI Freedom Hall were scheduled to be discharged on Wednesday.

He reported that the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) held a mock polling station on Tuesday and Health Ministry officials were present and provided recommendations following the process to the EBC. He said the information should be included in the guidelines the EBC would be announcing to the public.

Parasram was also asked about people who died abroad or in TT without any relatives to bury them and their bodies need to be transported. He explained that with covid19 there was the additional step for the transmission of human remains across the borders which involved two critical documents: whether there was the epidemic in the country of origin; and whether the cause of death was infectious or non-infectious.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said that at a policy level the issue of bringing back bodies to TT "did not go unnoticed" and three weeks ago health officials began looking at it.