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The Ministry of Health has confirmed 2 cases of the Delta Variant of the coronavirus.

Yesterday the Ministry of Health said the 1^st patient is a recently returned national who travelled to Trinidad from the United States.

The 2^nd patient had arrived in the country after travelling from Mexico, transiting through Panama and Guyana.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh last night said it is clear, the protocols for entry to Trinidad and Tobago worked.

The Minister insisted the Delta Variant is not in the communities.

The Ministry said earlier the presence of these Delta Variants were confirmed via gene sequencing at the laboratory of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies

This laboratory has been testing COVID-19 positive samples from Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean community member States since September last year.

Trinidad and Tobago’s protocols say all returning adults, who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, should spend 14 days in a State-supervised quarantine facility.

They also say these entry protocols will continue to be implemented.

Minister Deyalsingh said with the presence of the Delta Variant gives people even more reason to get vaccinated.

He said the strategy changes somewhat.

According to the World Health Organisation there have been confirmed cases of the Delta Variant of COVID-19 in 142 countries.

Research has suggested that the Delta Variant is more easily spread from person to person as compared to previous variants.

Communications Minister Symon De Nobriga said the courtesy calls were made to the Head of the Cabinet and the National Security Minister.

He tells Newscenter 5 Minister Young was only present as a Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister. 

The Minister says the Opposition MP is seeking to create controversy where there is none.

Via statement on Tuesday Minister Hinds said he met with the US Admiral at the Ministry’s Tower, Waterfront Building.

He said the meeting focused on the bilateral relations that both countries continue to maintain in the area of security cooperation. 

The Opposition is chiding the national security minister over his absence from a high profile meeting with US Officials.

The meeting with the Commander of the United States Southern Command, Admiral Craig S. Faller took place on Tuesday.

Yesterday MP for Oropouche Dr Roodal Moonilal questioned the Minister’s no show.

He said it appeared the Prime Minister preferred to take Minister Stuart Young to meet the delegation over the Line Minister and he wants to know why?

According to Dr. Moonilal, Minister Hinds posted a statement indicating that he did meet the US Officials.

However he said that post came after the fact and still warrants questions.

Another shooting claimed the life of Imam Shayan Imtiaz Azizullah

He was in the yard of his Saroop Avenue, Las Lomas home when he was shot.

The Imam of the Las Lomas Masjid was shot at around 7pm on Tuesday.

Also in the yard at the time was his wife who was not hurt.

Imam Azizullah was shot several times in the chest.

He was taken to the Arima Health Facility where he died.

Police say they have no motive yet for that killing.

A tradesman from Marabella is shot and killed near his home.

Thirty-three-year-old Ryan Scott was reportedly involved in an altercation with a group of men one day before he was killed, but police are not making a connection.

Mr. Scott was standing on the road near his Bayshore home yesterday afternoon when 3 men walked up to him and fired several shots.

The men escaped in a vehicle, which was said to be parked nearby.

A District Medical Officer pronounced Mr. Scott dead at the scene.

Meanwhile a Laventille man has died after he was shot in the head.

Mr. Triston Max Thomas of Clifton Hill St. Paul Street was shot yesterday morning while in downtown Port of Spain.

Mr. Thomas was sitting his vehicle parked on the corner of George and Queen Streets when he was shot.

Two men were reportedly seen running away from the area.

Mr. Thomas was found slumped in the driver’s seat of the black Nissan Navarra.

He was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital where he died.

The incident occurred at around 11:40am.

Several gun related incidents have left up to 5 people dead in the last 2 days.

In one of the incidents a reported exchange gunfire involving police officers left a husband and wife dead in Enterprise, Chaguanas.

Yesterday police fatally shot Anthony St. Louis and his wife Niama Alexander.

The officers were at the time investigating a reported plot to kill the Prisons Commissioner.

Twenty-eight-year-old Mr. St. Louis and his wife were killed by the officers at their Walters Lane, Enterprise home.

Police believe the 2 were conspirators in the plot to kill Prisons Commissioner Dennis Pulchan.

According to police when they went to the home of the couple they were fired upon.

They returned fire hitting the couple.

Commissioner Pulchan was not too concerned about the reported plan to kill him.

Carrera Island Prison is locked down.

The action follows the discovery of a cluster of COVID-19 cases discovered among the inmate population.

Yesterday Commissioner of Prisons Dennis Pulchan confirmed 34 prisoners have tested positive for the virus.  

The infected inmates were relocated while all others on the island are being treated as primary contacts.

Mr. Pulchan said the move will curb the spread of the virus behind the prison’s walls.

He admitted there continues to be vaccine hesitancy at prisons across Trinidad and Tobago and urged inmates to get vaccinated.

Mr. Pulchan told Newscenter 5 another batch of health care professionals will return to the island tomorrow to continue testing.

An epidemiologist with the Pan American Health Organisation describes vaccines as major contributors to immunity against COVID-19.

Dr. Franka Des Vignes, a consultant with PAHO also says inoculation helps by imitating the infection and not causing the illness.

On the Eye On Dependency program on i95.5 last Sunday Dr. Des Vignes said there are many benefits to immunization.

Dr. Des Vignes also outlined historical data, which supports vaccination drives in the past.

She also confirmed there was resistance.

Further Dr. Des Vignes spoke to the Delta Variant and its debilitating effects on unvaccinated persons.

The epidemiologist revealed that there has been hundreds of SARS CO-V2 variations have been identified.

Due to the high transmissibility of the virus she urged persons to continue to practice the public health guidelines.