Trinidad and Tobago recorded its first case of the Omicron Covid-19 variant on Monday- a female who arrived in the country from  New York.

This was revealed by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh at this morning’s Covid-19 media conference.

The Minister said he was “disturbed” that the person was allowed to board their flight having had a positive PCR test. 

The woman travelled from New York to Panama with a positive PCR test and was then allowed to fly to T&T  with a negative antigen test.  

The patient was isolated immediately upon arrival at  the Piarco International Airport.

The case was detected on the same day government began its vaccination booster program, in anticipation of the new strain which is seeing other nations resort to pandemic restrictions to curb spread.

The UK  is also offering booster Covid-19 shots to everyone over 18 from this week, as  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has declared what he said was an “Omicron emergency”.

The UK’s Covid alert level was raised to four on Sunday, due to the spread of the new variant.