rishard.khan@guardian.co.tt
Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh says rising COVID-19 hospitalisations have prompted the ministry to reactivate two step-down facilities in the parallel healthcare system.
“This will allow patients who are just on the cusp of being discharged to go into a step-down facility as we used to have, so that they can spend their final two to three days, four days in a step-down facility. That will then make room at the hospital level for people who need to be warded,” Deyalsingh said during yesterday’s COVID-19 virtual media conference.
He said the decision was taken on Sunday and by early next week, the Point Fortin Area Hospital and UTT Valsayn Campus will be reactivated, providing capacity for 35 and 40 ambulatory patients respectively.
Earlier this year, the step-down facilities were all deactivated due to decreasing hospitalisation numbers. However, since July 27, there has been a roughly 39 per cent increase in people becoming severely ill and being warded for the disease.
Despite this, Deyalsingh said there are no plans to further ramp up the parallel healthcare system but urged the public to do their part in fighting the pandemic by getting vaccinated, behaving responsibly and adhering to public health guidelines.
The ministry yesterday reported 308 new COVID cases from samples taken between August 8 and 9. There were, however, no deaths.
Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram says the ministry is also monitoring an outbreak of Langya henipavirus (LayV) in China which has infected 35 people.
“I think if COVID has taught us anything, it is to be on the alert for new viruses, especially with the way persons travel. A virus could be in one part of the world and then in another during that same day so it is something that we have to keep a very close eye on, look at the spread and see what is happening and see if it is able to be spread from person to person and then, of course, take the necessary steps,” he said.
Parasram said the ministry is awaiting further updates on the outbreak from the International Health Regulations’ network.
“But it’s something that we will keep a very close eye on,” he said.
LayV is a zoonotic virus (originating in animals) that can infect humans. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, more than six out of every 10 known infectious diseases in people can be spread from animals, and three out of every four new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals.