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Fifty-three people have now died of the coronavirus in Trinidad and Tobago.

In its 10 am statement yesterday, the Ministry of Health said the 2 people are an elderly man and woman, both of whom were said to have had co-morbidities.

In its last release yesterday the Ministry said there were a total of 23 new positive cases.

They took the number of positive cases up to 3,042 and the number of active cases to 2,217.

The Ministry said the 23 additional cases were taken from samples sent during the period September 2^nd to September 12^th.

Earlier in the day the Ministry said two people were warded at the Intensive Care Unit at the Couva Hospital and 5 in the High-Dependency Unit.

There were 29 patients at the Caura Hospital and 4 at the Arima General Hospital.

A total of 1,929 people were said to be under home isolation via the continuous monitoring of the respective County Medical Officer Health Offices.

The Ministry said there were 128 patients at state step-down facilities: 7 at UWI, Canada Hall; 50 at UWI, Freedom Hall; and 71 at NAPA (used by health workers who have finished their tour of duty).

The number of people discharged stands at 772.

Lawyers representing the wife of Sea Lots resident, Cedric ‘Burkie’ Burke, have requested that his body be preserved until there is an independent probe into his death.

The family is reported to have made a formal request for Mr. Burke’s medical records.

The request was made via in a letter sent to the Ministry by Attorney-at-Law Chelsea John over the weekend.

In response, the Ministry of Health, through its acting Legal Adviser, Mala Kowlessar-Tagallie, asked for documentation confirming that Mr. Burke’s wife is the lawful next of kin.

It said that once this is produced, the Ministry would have no problem in handing over of the medical records from Mr. Burke’s admission into hospital on September 9^th to his death on September 11^th.

The Ministry also said it had no objection to the preservation of the body of the deceased pending expert medical advice/confirmation as to the medical condition of Mr. Burke and his cause of death.

The letter Attorney John sent to the Ministry stated that she, together with Richard Clarke-Wills, was acting on behalf of Mr. Burke’s wife Felicia Samuel.

Mr. Burke was a well-known community leader in Sea Lots, who became the subject of controversy when he accompanied Port-of-Spain south MP Marlene McDonald to her Swearing-In as Minister of Public Utilities at the President’s House in May 2017.

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith hits back at the Prime Minister for utterances he made at a news conference, regarding the enforcement of COVID-19 laws and regulations.

Last Saturday Dr. Keith Rowley called on the police to enforce the laws across the board.

The Prime Minister’s statement followed a decision by the police not to charge anyone at a private poolside party at Bayside Towers in Cocorite.

At the media conference Dr. Rowley said the Commissioner must hold everyone to account for their “errant actions”.

The Prime Minister said while he is in no position to tell the Commissioner how to do his job, he does expect the police to act responsibly in all situations.

Yesterday in response to the Prime Minister, Commissioner Griffith said the police would be breaching constitutional rights by arresting persons for acts committed, when there are no laws enacted to do so.

He said the Prime Minister was being inconsistent.

Commissioner Griffith said he is committed to uphold the law and not break it by arresting persons illegally as proposed.

The Commissioner said the TTPS “has been thrown under the proverbial bus”.

Minister of Sport and Community Development, Shamfa Cudjoe extends congratulations to Trinbago Knight Riders on their stellar victory.

In a statement Minister Cudjoe expressed her personal delight in serving as the host for this global event, noting, that Trinbago Knight Riders made history not once but twice by being the only team to have won the entire tournament without losing a match.

She says Trinidad and Tobago also earned a badge of honour for being the first Caribbean country to hold a major cricket tournament, safely and securely, during the COVID-19 global pandemic. 



The Sports Minister notes that although fans were not afforded the luxury of viewing the matches in person, the excitement was not lost as the talent and skill of some of the world’s best cricketers was on full display on their screens. 


According to Minister Cudjoe the formulation and execution of this CPL T20 tournament could serve as a template for the hosting of other major sporting events in the region and around the world.

COVID-19 claims the lives of an 80-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy in Jamaica.

Health officials there say they had pre existing conditions and are from Manchester.

Their deaths bring the total number of fatalities to 38.

There were 114 new cases recorded yesterday.

These bring the total number of cases on the island to 3,437.

And there is word that an increasing number of frontline health care workers have been complaining of being traumatised.

Many say the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the country is stretching them.

Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Winston De La Haye says the health care workers are under mental strain.

He is warning of increased risks of a spike in non-communicable diseases due to the impact of COVID-19 on the population and the delivery of health services.

Dr. De La Haye says efforts are being made to keep clinics open at the various hospitals despite the challenges because there is a possibility that there could be an explosion of non-communicable diseases after COVID.

He wants members of the public to also check themselves to see if they are experiencing some types of mental strain because of the pandemic.

Two more persons have died from the COVID-19 bringing the total fatalities in the country to 45.

In a release this morning the Ministry of Health says the deceased are an elderly female with co-morbidities and an adult male.

It says 79 additional persons have tested positive for COVID -19.

The release says that, of the seventy-nine (79) COVID-19 positive cases reported, seven (7) of these refer to persons who were housed at the Police Training Academy and have not been in circulation within the national community.

It says these individuals will be transferred to a public health facility for relevant medical care. 

All established protocols have been implemented.

The Ministry also said the number of samples which have tested positive at public and private facilities is 2,777 and total number of active cases is 1,970.

The Ministry says 7 persons have been discharged bringing the total discharged to 762.

The Ministry of Health is assuring the public the Chronic Disease Assistance Program (CDAP) continues and the services offered via this initiative are provided to the public on an ongoing basis.

The Ministry of Health notes the letter to the editor, which was published in the Newsday Newspaper today, entitled ‘Don’t Stop The CDAP Program’.

However, the Ministry says Minister Terrence Deyalsingh made no such announcement, that the CDAP initiative would be stopped.

It says members of the public are assured that they can continue to receive their medication to address chronic non-communicable diseases via the CDAP program.

Condolences continue to pour in following news of the passing of Veteran Journalist, Owen Baptiste.

Mr. Baptiste died on Tuesday night at the West Shore Medical Center.

Newscenter 5 understands Mr. Baptiste died following complications associated with diabetes.

His death was confirmed by relatives on Facebook yesterday.

Mr. Baptiste was the former Editor-in-Chief at the Trinidad Guardian, Trinidad Express, the Catholic News and the now-defunct Caribbean Contact.

He also served as the Executive Chairman of the Barbados-based Caribbean News Agency.

The Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for communications says the media has lost an advocate, but believes his legacy will live on in all those he mentored and those with whom he graciously shared his talent and time.

In a release, Symon De Nobriga says Mr. Baptiste undoubtedly loved what he did.

He says his passion and dedication will be missed.

The College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ken Gordon School of Journalism and Communication Studies says Mr. Baptiste made an indelible mark on the industry.

The school says he was a fearless editor who led from the front, taking on issues of the day.

It also says Mr. Baptiste upheld the journalistic standards of accuracy, fairness, balance and accountability.