Ministry of Health's Virtual Media Conference Wednesday 15th April 2020

KEY POINTS FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH'S VIRTUAL MEDIA CONFERENCE - WEDNESDAY APRIL 15TH 2020: - Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh addressed what he called a "most unfortunate development" that happened in the last 12 hours in T&T. He said there are persons "hell bent on destroying Trinidad and Tobago." Like the WHO Director General, he said COVID-19 shouldn't be politicised. - The Health Minister highlights a letter from the AG's office in response to Attorney Gerald Ramdeen's letter regarding a person who was quarantined for COVID-19. Minister Deyalsingh said this letter from the AG sets the record straight and he is ready and willing to hand over his phones, devices and even his landline records to prove that Mr. Ramdeen’s Pre Action Protocol contained false claims. - Minister Deyalsingh read from the letter, which noted that Mr. Ramdeen and his client "have been active politicians for the Opposition United National Congress." - Minister Deyalsingh said publicising the Pre Action Protocol (letter) in the media, before the Ministry of Health received it, is to be frowned upon. He said: “This is a time to put away the political weapons of mass destruction. If we don't do that and we don't get all sectors of society in lock step against the virus, we will fail.” - MOH COVID-19 Update For Wednesday 15th April 2020 - 10AM: Samples Submitted For Testing: 1,282 Positive Samples: 114 Number of Deaths: 8 Number of Persons Discharged: 19 ONE ADDITIONAL PERSON HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. TWO ADDITIONAL PERSONS DISCHARGED FROM CAURA. - Chief Medical Officer Dr. Roshan Parasram said 60 persons are now hospitalised for COVID-19 at Caura and Couva. CAURA: 12 (Ambulatory and Stable) COUVA: 48 (2 in HDU and 46 Ambulatory and Fairly Stable) In addition, there are two Suspect cases at CAURA. SANGRE GRANDE STEP DOWN FACILITY: 26 patients - Dr. Lisa Indar, Assistant Director of Surveillance Disease Prevention and Control at CARPHA, addressed COVID-19testing protocols at CARPHA. She said CARPHA follows WHO testing protocols and will test all Suspect cases that fall within the criteria. Currently, samples can only be sent to CARPHA from a country's designated National Public Laboratory (In T&T, it's the Trinidad Public Health Laboratory). Once the sample is received, CARPHA produces results within 24-48 hours. Results are then sent directly to the Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Indar emphasised that CARPHA will not disseminate results directly to patients or unauthorised persons as it is a breach to do so. - Dr. Lisa Indar: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) remains the “Gold Standard” in testing and is endorsed by the World Health Organisation. This is used by CARPHA. - T&T is using the universally accepted criteria for discharging COVID-19 patients: 2 consecutive Negative results separated by a 24 hour period. This can only be done after the patient serves 14 days of isolation. If the patient tests Positive after 14 days, the patient spends 7 days in isolation and the process restarts. - 110,775 flu vaccines administered for the year so far in T&T. There are 40,000 vaccines in stock. There have been 595 Suspected flu cases in T&T so far for 2020.