Twenty-four new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Tobago, and 18 of those cases were recorded at the Tobago prison.

This comprises five prison officers and 13 inmates. The remaining six additional cases are contacts of recently positive cases.

The Division of Health and Wellness in Tobago reported that a facility has been acquired and is being prepared for use as an isolation facility for COVID-19 positive prisoners.

It said arrangements are being made for officials from the Ministry of National Security to inspect the facility this afternoon.

Once preparations have been completed and the Ministry gives the necessary approval, the facility will be used as a “Temporary Prison” to isolate COVID-19 positive prisoners.

Since the facility is currently not ready for use, the 13 COVID-19 positive prisoners will be transferred to Trinidad this afternoon via the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. As soon as the prisoners have been transferred, the Prison will be deep cleaned and sanitized.

The remaining Prison Officers and prisoners who tested negative for COVID-19, will continue to be monitored daily for 14 days, and if anyone develops symptoms, they will be re-tested.

The clinical update for Tobago is as follows:

-Number of persons discharged = 66

-Number of samples submitted to the Tobago Regional Health Authority
(TRHA) and other local sites to test for COVID-19 = 1325

-Number of samples that tested positive for COVID-19 = 102

– Number of active COVID-19 cases = 34

-Number of patients at the COVID-19 Treatment Facility = 9

-Number of patients at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit = 1

-Number of patients at the step-down facility = 0

-Number of patients en route to the COVID-19 Treatment Facility =11

-Number of patients en route to Treatment Facilities in Trinidad = 13

-Number of deaths = 2