PM: ‘Town crier’ politicking over coronavirus death

THE Prime Minister scoffed at a “town crier” whom he accused of politicking over TT’s first death of a covid19 patient on Wednesday among quarantined patients at Couva Hospital.

At Thursday’s post-Cabinet briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Dr Rowley was thought to be referring to Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar who had announced the death in calling for a two week national lock-down to curb the spread of covid19.

Rowley said the death was not officially announced until relatives were notified.

“We are just behaving decently so the family could be informed. Is that too much to ask?”

He dubbed it a premature announcement which had caused anxiety. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram, when asked about a document on social media purportedly giving medical details of the deceased, told reporters they should not be in possession of those details which was a breach of patient confidentiality. He added that he didn’t think someone’s death was a matter of public importance.

He classed it as an imported case, suggesting several classifications exist apart from a binary of imported cases or community spread. Parasram said protocols dictate relatives are told of the death first before any public announcement.

Reporters were asked how they would feel if they read of a loved one’s death in the media before being personally notified.