Two more persons have died from COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths nationally to 161.
The latest update from the Ministry of Health yesterday also says there are 151 new positive cases of the virus.
It says 152 persons are at hospital, 10 at step down facilities, 243 in State quarantine and 1192 in home self-isolation.
The country now has 1,505 active positive cases of the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, Tobago records 3 new COVID-19 cases
This means Tobago now has 37 active cases.
Seismic activity at the La Soufrière volcano has remained low since the tremor associated with the explosion and ash venting 2 days ago.
The scientists monitoring the volcano are indicating that over the last 24 hours only a few long-period, hybrid and volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded with no further tremor.
The Seismic Research Centre of the University of the West Indies said in its last update yesterday that the volcano continues to erupt and is still dangerous.
It said the pattern of seismic activity over the last few days is typical of the growth and destruction of lava domes.
According to the SRC explosions with accompanying ash fall, of similar or larger magnitude, can occur with little or no warning.
The volcano remains at alert level red.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is talking about the cost of this disaster, particularly as it relates to evacuees.
Dr. Gonsalves says there are also charitable organisations from outside of the country providing aid to affected people.
Over the weekend the Prime Minister said residents of northern St. Vincent, including communities north of the Rabacca Dry River, will be allowed to return to their homes, when the eruption of La Soufriere ends and the all clear is given.
He said there are persons who feel the communities in the volcano red zone in the northeast, as well as orange zone in the northwest, should be abandoned and reserved for agriculture.
But Dr. Gonsalves said as far as his party is concerned north of the Rabacca Dry River, is the soul of the nation.
He said abandoning such areas is not on the cards.
The United National Congress is dismissing the United States Embassy’s reference to terrorism in its latest travel advisory on Trinidad and Tobago.
Opposition Senator Anil Roberts yesterday said one could easily forgive the US Embassy in Port of Spain for its defence following the issuing of the travel advisory.
Mr. Roberts was speaking at a news conference yesterday, as there continue to be some controversy over the advisory and the UNC’s response.
Opposition MP for Oropouche east, Dr. Roodal Moonilal said what the embassy refers to in its advisory and its naming of trouble communities here, are not new.
The embassy last weekend felt it necessary to distance itself from the UNC’s response to the advisory.
Kiss Baking Company has pulled 4 bread products because of what it calls a possibility that a piece of plastic may have contaminated a loaf of bread.
Following word of the recall on social media yesterday the company issued a statement identifying the products recalled to be all large sliced sandwich loaves, Kiss hot dog bread, coconut bun and healthy balance wholegrain buns.
The recall applied to Trinidad and not Tobago.
The products were made on Friday and recalled on Saturday.
Kiss General Manager, Rene Degannes says the recalled products have been crushed and dumped.
Whatsapp messages told of glass being present in the products.
But the company assures customers that there was no possibility of glass being present in any of the products.
Mr. Degannes said the manufacturing processes do not use any equipment containing glass.
There is one more COVID-related death in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Ministry of Health yesterday said an elderly man with “multiple co-morbidities” died on Saturday bringing the death toll here to 159.
In addition, the country recorded 84 new infections of the virus, pushing the number of active cases to 1,343.
The Ministry said there are 237 persons in State controlled quarantine facilities, while 1,116 are in home isolation.
Over the weekend Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh warned of serious and maybe even deadly consequences if people use vaccination systems outside of the State.
Minister Deyalsingh said there are fake vaccines now in circulation, and the way to avoid this is to seek inoculation from State entities.
Minister Deyalsingh said the vaccination program rolled out by his government is safe and credible.
Minister Deyalsingh hailed the work of health care professionals at the various vaccination centers.
Political Leader of the Progressive Democratic Patriots, Watson Duke calls for protest outside the parliament building in Port of Spain.
Mr. Duke is not pleased with the findings of the Joint Select Committee on the constitution amendment Tobago Self Government Bill 2020.
Mr. Duke believes Tobagonians are being taken for a ride.
He says there must be protest in Trinidad.
The JSC proposes a new Tobago legislature, which will differ from the current structure.
It also says the legislature will have exclusive law making powers in Tobago.
Government Senator Nigel De Freitas says public consultations are expected to be held soon on both islands.
He was speaking on the Morning Edition program on TV6 earlier.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob has responded to the weekend murders.
8 people were killed on the weekend.
One of them was decapitated.
On TV6’s Morning Edition program earlier ACP Jacob said there is a high fear of crime by the citizenry.
However, he said the police are doing their jobs.
Among those killed on the weekend a former Movement for Social Justice election candidate.
Osie Leonard’s body was found with a bullet wound to the head on Saturday evening.
The body was stuffed inside the trunk of a vehicle he rented 3 days before.
The car was found parked at the Roodal Cemetery close to his Embacadere San Fernando home.
Reports say Mr. Leonard rented the car last Wednesday but did not return it at the stipulated time.
The owner of the vehicle was contacted by Mr. Leonard’s relatives and the GPS system on the vehicle revealed its location.
Mr. Leonard was a candidate in the 2019 Local Government Election.
MSJ leader David Abdullah remembers Mr. Leonard as a community man who was passionate about the well being of those who live in the Springvale-Paradise electoral district.
Mr. Leonard is one of several people killed over the weekend.
The others include Loriston Fletcher, Akim Terry Charles, Nathaniel Gool and a man yet to be identified.
The headless body was found in St. James yesterday morning.
Three other men were killed between Friday night and Saturday.
Their names are given as Steffan Francis, Geovanne Stewart and Kurt Charles.
Three men from Diego Martin, Marabella, and Williamsville are now in police custody after a drug bust in the south.
The 3 were held on board a pirogue in the Gulf of Paria, near Point Fortin yesterday morning.
It is reported the pirogue carrying large packets of cocaine and marijuana.
The estimated value of the find has not yet been determined.
Officers of the customs and excise division made the discovery.
It is said acting on intelligence the boat was spotted and stopped shortly before four am.
The pirogue with the 3 men and the drugs were taken to the King’s Wharf in San Fernando.
Approximately 32 packets were counted, and 30 of them appeared to be marijuana while two are believed to have carried cocaine.
Customs and Excise Division officers also seized 2 Yamaha boat engines.
The latest update from the Ministry of Health says there are 167 new cases of the virus.
Twenty-three of the new cases were among workers on offshore platforms.
The number of active cases now stands at 1,161.
There have been 12 deaths in the month of April.
The toll remains at 157.
The country has an overall confirmed total of 9,383 positive cases.
It is said the month of April has seen the largest number of new cases for the year.
There have been 1,335 infections.
According to the Ministry, seven people have been discharged from State facilities and there have been a further 22 recovered community cases.
The Police Service Association tells its members you do not have to take the COVID-19 vaccine if you don’t want to.
A communiqué sent out earlier this week caused some concern among officers.
However this morning, General Secretary of he association Sgt. Ancil Forde said the vaccine is not compulsory.
Yesterday Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith noted the reluctance by some police officers to take the vaccine.
He told a news conference yesterday there was a time when there was no question about the responsibilities of police officers.
However on the Morning Edition program today Sgt. Forde noted that officers have rights and a choice regarding what goes into their bodies.
Up to 1700 police officers have been identified to be vaccinated.
The Commissioner has already been inoculated.
Earlier this week there were also questions surrounding reports that members of the Defence Force were being mandated to get vaccinated.
The Defence Force denied this and so too did the new national security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.
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