Enough beds for Tobago covid19 patients, for now

Health, Wellness and Family Development Secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine is assuring Tobago's health sector has an adequate supply of beds to accomodate covid19 patients, for the time being.

"At this moment, there are no issues with availability of beds," she told Newsday on Monday via Whataspp.

Davidson-Celestine said the island has a capacity to accommodate just over 100 patients.

On Sunday, a man, claiming to be a covid19 patient, posted a video on social media saying he had spent six hours at a health facility in Tobago waiting to be assigned a bed.

The man, barely speaking audibly, did not indicate which health facility he was at.

He also claimed his sister was infected with the virus at their home and health workers were not sent to take her to the hospital.

Davidson-Celestine said she was advised the upset patient was "uncomfortable with staying at our facility and prefers to stay at home.

"As such, it took quite a long time to have him settled," she said.

Regarding his claim about medical personnel not being sent to their home to bring his ailing sister to the hospital, Davidson-Celestine said transporting patients to the facilities is an ongoing process.

"As we continue to unearth cases on a daily basis, there are still a few outstanding who will be transported today (August 17)."

Davidson-Celestine advised people who are feeling unwell to stay at home and call the covid19 hotlines.

"But we are experiencing resistance by some persons at this time who prefer to remain at home as opposed to staying at our facilities of care."

Earlier, Davidson-Celestine toured covid19 facilities at Fort King George, Bacolet.

Her first stop was the screening facility for patients who are positive but well.

She then toured the isolation facility at the Tobago Rehabilitation and Empowerment Centre (TREC) compound.

"Right now that is full and those who have tested positive within recent times are now hosted at that facility."

Davidson-Celestine said the geriatric facility can accommodate 20 patients.

"The point is that we have a concentrated area to treat with covid-positive persons but we do not want a system where our facilities will become overwhelmed.

"At this moment, as we speak, we have no challenges with beds. I am not saying that that would not become a challenge in later days.

"But as it is now, we have enough beds who deal with those who are positive and who need to be moved to one of our facilities."

As of Monday, the total number of covid19 cases in Tobago stood at 21.

The Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development said on Monday four additional cases tested positive for the virus.

"All are contacts of recently positive covid19 cases," the division said.

It added all protocols have since been implemented, inclusive of contact tracing, which is ongoing.

The division said three covid19 patients were transferred to Trinidad on Saturday.

It said the three are all family members, but one of the patients had a pre-existing medical conditions and was deemed high risk.

"As a precautionary measure, the national coordinator of the covid19 response requested that the patient be transferred to Trinidad for intense monitoring and care. The other family members were included in the transfer to provide the necessary support to each other."

The three patients were well when they left Tobago.

The division said there are currently 14 active covid19 cases on the island.

BREAKDOWN OF BEDS

Old hospital - 40 beds

TREC - 7 beds

Geriatric facility - 20 beds

Step down facility - 35 beds

ICU - 5 beds (for those very ill)