T&T says one of three imported COVID-19 cases came from Guyana

Jul 29, 2020 News

Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Health announced yesterday three new imported cases of the novel Coronavirus
Dr. Erica Wheeler, country representative for the World Health Organization, had initially reported that the three individuals were originally said to be relatives of previously confirmed cases who had been placed in quarantine. However, in the Ministry’s morning update yesterday, it was announced that the three new cases recorded were nationals returning from Guyana, Antigua and Vietnam respectively.
Attempts by Kaieteur News to contact officials in an effort to gather further information about the imported case from Guyana was futile.
Speaking with Kaieteur News, Public Relations Officer of the local Ministry of Public Health, Mr. Terrence Esseboom, disclosed that at the time, he was not aware of the imported case reported by Trinidad’s health officials.
Esseboom was not convinced that the case originated in Guyana. He nevertheless revealed that non-nationals wishing to leave the country are not required to be tested and those wishing to have a test administered must do so at a private institution.
Expounding further, Esseboom noted that as a requirement, persons wishing to return home to Guyana via repatriation flights must first produce negative results for the novel Coronavirus. He added that persons will then be subject to home isolation upon return.
In February 2020, Trinidad had announced that a female passenger arriving at Piarco International Airport from Guyana was refused entry into the country although she showed no signs and symptoms of the virus. The woman had reportedly arrived on a flight originating out of Hong Kong, China and would have travelled to New York then Guyana before arriving in Trinidad. The officials explained that a woman was returned to Guyana since she would have spent a substantial amount of time in the country and was considered a high risk.
However, Guyana’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle had indicated that records from Guyana’s Port Health and Immigration did not substantiate the claim by the Trinidad health officials.

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