Fewer covid cases ease hospital occupancy

Am ambulance exits the field hospital set up at the Jean Pierre Complex, in Port of Spain last month. - Marvin Hamilton
Am ambulance exits the field hospital set up at the Jean Pierre Complex, in Port of Spain last month. - Marvin Hamilton

There has been a stabilising of the country’s covid19 numbers as well as a slight decrease over the past week.

On Saturday at a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds said of the first week of June there was a ten per cent decrease in the number of new cases.

“For week 23, the preliminary figures coming in for today (Saturday) to end week 23, it’s just a little over 300, about 316, so we are going to have approximately 2,230 total, which would be a 30 per cent decrease compared to the week before. We are hoping this week on week decreasing trend continues to manifest itself going forward.”

Number of active cases also plateaued and was beginning to decrease.

“It is encouragement to continue doing what we are doing because the numbers are still not small but the numbers are decreasing so we need to make sure we continue doing what we are doing to continue that breaking force and slowing of the epidemic at this point in time.”

Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards, Principal Medical Officer, Institutions, noted that the seven-day rolling average decreased to 329. The average number of people admitted to the hospitals per day also decreased from around 66 to 72 people to 51 to 46 over the past week.

She added that occupancy numbers at hospitals levelled off at around 610 to 625 and ward occupancy at were around 60 per cent

Covid19 cases at the country’s Accident and Emergency departments also “stabilised” for the first time since May 24.

“There has been a general decrease in the number of confirmed covid positive patients presenting to the Accident and Emergencies which shows there are less ill people in the community entering the A&Es.”

Additionally, thoracic medical director at the Caura Hospital, Dr Michelle Trotman, gave some advice to covid19 patients quarantined at home. She suggested they drink at least two to three litres of water every day, and use basic panadol. If a patient has difficulty breathing, if they can not stay awake, and if the elderly are confused or are not eating much, they should call for additional assistance.

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"Fewer covid cases ease hospital occupancy"

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