689 new cases, 11 deaths on Wednesday – Trinidad and Tobago crosses 2,000 deaths milestone

THE Ministry of Health reported 689 new covid19 infections and 11 deaths on Wednesday. The ministry's daily covid19 update also stated that with these 11 new deaths, the country has crossed the grim 2,000 deaths milestone with toll now 2,009 as of Wednesday.

The release reported that the 11 additional deaths were four elderly men, three elderly women and four middle-aged women.

Seven of these people had comorbidities including diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, while two had one comorbidity and two had no known comorbidities.

The number of deaths on a weekly basis has gradually increased from the first week in November, with 79 in that seven-day period, to 86 in the second week, and 109 in the third week.

TT recorded its first covid19 death on March 25, last year. TT's first covid death was an elderly man with pre-existing medical conditions.

On June 1, covid19 deaths crossed 500 when 12 deaths that day, pushed the figure from 495 the day before, to 507.

On July 20, TT recorded 1,000 covid19 deaths when two people, an elderly woman with comorbidities and a middle-aged man without comorbidities died.

During one of TT's covid19 spikes in August and October 2020, the country reported 5,266 cases with 98 deaths.

In October this year, epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds warned there would be a surge in cases.

The largest number of covid19-related deaths in a day was recorded on November 20, which saw 28 fatalities that day, beating the previous record of 23 deaths recorded on May 18. Also in November, the highest number of infections in a day was recorded, with 781 recorded on Nov 17, beating the previous record of 708 infections on May 21.

The Wednesday ministry update also reported that the 689 new cases were from samples taken between November 20 - November 23.

The total number of active covid19 cases was reported to be 9,297.

There were also 64 people discharged from public health facilities while there were 264 recovered community cases.

Recovered community cases are cases where people who tested positive for the coronavirus were placed in self-isolation at home but later met the discharge criteria to be released.

The update also reported that as of Wednesday afternoon, 639,964 people received their first dose of a two-dose vaccine, while 596,777 received their second shot of a two-dose vaccine, and 41,589 received their single-dose vaccine.