kalain.hosein@guardian.co.tt
On March 12th, 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Trinidad and Tobago. Yesterday, two months later, we have one active case left. However, life, as we know it, has changed forever.
A population known for enjoying the days off at home are becoming antsy after one month of the stay-at-home measures. A trip to the grocery, the pharmacy, or the hardware is now an event. How did we get here, and where do we go next?
A snapshot of T&T’s COVID-19 total cases, recoveries and deaths based on daily press releases from the Ministry of Health, as of 4:00 PM May 11th, 2020.
The COVID-19 Journey -
By The Cases
Our first case of the novel coronavirus was an imported case, confirmed on March 12, 2020. Since then, we have seen 115 cases add to the total – both imported and what is considered local spread or transmission.
According to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Roshan Parasram, and World Health Organization (WHO) reports, T&T has not reported instances of community transmission to date, with only sporadic cases.
On March 17th, a group of nationals, who were stranded on the ill-fated Costa Favolosa cruise, were repatriated and placed directly into quarantine at Camp Balandra. Sixty-eight nationals were part of the first group, with three individuals who returned on their own accord, totalling 72. Of these, 52 tested positive.
The disease was first confirmed on Tobago’s shores on March 23, as another imported case.
On March 26, Trinidad and Tobago recorded its first death. Between March 26 and April 6, the country recorded a single death nearly every day, with one occurring in Tobago. Since April 6th, however, no new deaths attributed to COVID-19 have been recorded, with our death toll remaining at eight.
According to the CMO, all eight deaths in Trinidad and Tobago were people over the age of fifty-five and had pre-existing health conditions. Based on the demographic breakdown on April 10th, COVID-19 has infected 46 males versus 63 females. The demographic data on April 19 gave a slightly different picture, with 45 males versus 65 females. This is anomalous compared to global data, which shows males are disproportionately affected.
By March 27, our COVID-19 recovery was announced, but it took two weeks for this number to begin increasing. By the end of April, 73 people had recovered. Two months later, this increased to 107 people. As of May 11, one patient remains in the Caura Hospital, pending their discharge.
Locations of laboratory confirmed COVID-19 positive cases. These locations are where cases resided prior to being quarantined at a public health facility. Data: Georeferenced from the Ministry of Health map published on April 19th 2020, covering up to T&T’s 114th case. Graphics by Kalain Hosein
The Issue of Testing
Testing continues to be a contentious topic of public discourse, with critics stating that T&T is not testing sufficiently. Through the first two months of the pandemic in T&T, legitimate testing could only be done through the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). Due to the guidelines set out by the WHO, CARPHA initially rejected samples submitted, which bred ire in the population.
Nearly five weeks after repeated requests from the media, the Ministry of Health offered some clarity to our testing situation. Beginning April 21st, the MoH’s morning press release itemised the number of unique and repeated samples. The total submitted tests was also clarified as it did not include rejected samples.
T&T began a surveillance testing on April 14th. It is done to determine what kind of viruses are circulating at any given time, not a novel situation in T&T. It would also indicate if people outside the case definition for COVID-19 test positive for the disease.
For COVID-19, the MoH is conducting a random sampling of persons who meet the case definition for Acute Viral Illness. One sample per day is selected by a physician from selected health centres in Trinidad and Tobago and sent for testing. To date, all surveillance samples have tested negative for COVID-19.
By May 1, testing could now be done locally through the University of the West Indies testing site at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.
The total samples submitted to CARPHA and UWI, as well as the 24-hour sample increase based on the daily press releases from the Ministry of Health. Data: Ministry of Health as of 4:00 PM May 11th, 2020.
The Government’s Response
T&T was ahead of most countries in enacting a travel ban. On January 30, 2020, people who lived in or visited China within the past 14 days was barred entry into the country.
The ban was later expanded to Iran, South Korea, Italy, Singapore, and Japan on February 27, just after Carnival. On March 10, it was extended to Spain, France, and Germany.
On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. One day later, the Ministry of Health confirmed T&T had its first COVID-19 patient. Already uneasy about international developments, life in T&T was about to change drastically.
The first major statement, on March 13, was the closure of schools for one week. Three days later, the Prime Minister made several significant announcements. Schools were to remain closed until April 20t which effectively ended the second term of the academic year. Bars were now closed, and in-house dining was not permitted for the next fourteen days. Our borders were closed to all non-nationals for fourteen days. On March 23, our borders were closed for everyone – except cargo and those with special permissions from the Ministry of National Security.
Religious gatherings, social gatherings, beach limes, a trip to the river, and even to the cinema were no more. By March 26, the Prime Minister asked all non-essential workers to stay at home, and on March 30, all non-essential businesses were closed until April 30. On April 25, the stay-at-home order was extended until May 15.
On May 9, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced the phased re-opening of the country, following the first meeting of T&T’s economic recovery team. “As we monitor, if the numbers are just as good as now, we will take steps to advance the phases.”
Bars, beaches, rivers, cinemas, gyms, malls, and even hairdressing services will remain closed, opening in later phases. Schools will also remain closed until September.
A breakdown of samples submitted to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the University of the West Indies testing site. Note these counts do not include any rejected samples. Data: Ministry of Health as of 10:00 AM May 11th, 2020.