The Ministry of Health revealed in its 6pm update this evening (Monday 31st August 2020) that there are thirty-two (32) additional cases of COVID-19 in Trinidad and Tobago. The Ministry reported yet another death this morning as well as thirty-six (36) more cases, bringing today’s total cases to sixty-eight (68). There are a total of twenty-two (22) deaths in the country related to COVID-19.

T&T’s confirmed cases now jumps to 1,759, with 1,061 being active cases.

The Ministry stated these thirty-two (32) positive cases are from samples taken during the period 23rd August to 31st August 2020. Therefore, this figure is NOT representative of the positive cases over the last 24 hours only.

​The Ministry provided absolutely no other information about these thirty-two (32) new cases other than to say all established protocols have been implemented.

- The Minister of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh, announced that 160,000 Rapid Test, Antigen Kits were ordered and will be a "game changer" when it comes to testing in T&T. Minister Deyalsingh also indicated that these test kits would be used as part of the screening process, to quickly determine if persons require further testing for COVID-19.

- The Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Faris Al-Rawi, indicated that there were some printed errors with regards to the latest Public Health Regulations which will be rectified and the corrected Regulations distributed.

- For clarity’s sake, AG Al-Rawi stated that once you are on the public road in a vehicle or in a public space, you will be required to wear something that covers your nose, mouth and chin. There are only a few exceptions to this law - persons operating a vehicle or vessel alone or children under the age of eight (8).

- The Attorney General also listed reasonable excuses for not wearing a mask, which include:

• Medical, physical or mental illness or impairment which inhibits the person’s ability to wear a mask or face shield.
• If the person is travelling with or providing assistance to someone that relies on lip-reading to communicate.
• If the person removes the face covering to prevent harm or injury to themselves or others.
• If the person is escaping risk of harm and does not have a face covering with them.
• If it is reasonably necessary for the person to temporarily remove the mask to eat, drink or take medication.
• If a request is made for the person to remove the face covering for security/identification purposes.

- AG Al-Rawi also stated that fitness activities was NOT excluded from the mask-wearing regulations. Once you are in a public space, you are required to wear a mask.

- The Attorney General stated that the Regulation concerning mandated mask-wearing in private vehicles is to facilitate effective policing of said Regulation, as it would be extremely difficult for law enforcement to differentiate between PH taxis and family cars.

- The AG firmly declared that ALL citizens are to comply with the mask-wearing Regulations regardless of station, including elected officials, protective services and even the socially-displaced. Work is currently underway to ensure that masks are provided to the socially-displaced.

- When answering a question with regards to the use of face shields, the Attorney General confirmed that they are accepted as an alternative to face masks by law.

- The AG indicated that children, 8 years or older, CAN be fined for not wearing a mask in public if they are found to be alone (without parents).

- AG Al-Rawi also advised persons who have a medical condition that impairs their ability to wear a mask, to carry proof of such as it would be up to the Police Officer to determine if the mask law applies to them or not. In cases where persons are fined and believe that they had a valid reason for not wearing a mask, the matter can be taken to court and contested.

Watch the Press Conference below in its entirety.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi has clarified a number of issues relating to mandatory mask-wearing in vehicles and vessels, which is now in effect as the law of the land (and sea). The Attorney General made the clarifications at a Press Conference hosted by the Ministry of Health this morning (Monday 31st August 2020).

According to Al-Rawi, once you are on the public road in a vehicle or in a public space, you will be required to wear something that covers your nose, mouth and chin. The law is widespread and applies to everyone, including the President, Prime Minister, Ministers and Police Officers.

The Attorney General outlined the following three (3) exemptions for a person or persons traveling in any vehicle:

1. If you are alone in your vehicle, you are NOT required to wear a mask.
2. Any child under the age of eight (8) is NOT required to wear a mask.
3. ​Any person with a physical or mental disability is NOT required to wear a mask.

The Ministry of Health will be hosting a virtual Press Conference at 11am this morning (Monday 31st August 2020) to update the public about the latest developments with COVID-19. The Ministry reported yet another COVID-19 related death this morning, bringing the total deaths to twenty-two (22). An additional thirty-six (36) cases were also reported this morning.

Prime Minister Keith Rowley held a Press Conference at 2:30pm on Saturday (29th August 2020) to discuss the Government’s latest plans to combat the rampant spread of COVID-19 in Trinidad and Tobago. If you missed that Press Conference, you can catch up on the key points that were discussed.

Watch the live stream of today’s Press Conference below when it begins at 11am.

This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.

The Ministry of Health revealed in its 10am update this morning (Monday 31st August 2020) that there is yet another COVID-19 related death in Trinidad and Tobago plus an additional thirty-six (36) cases. The latest death is an elderly female with co-morbidities. There have now been fourteen (14) recent deaths, bringing the total deaths to twenty-two (22).

The Ministry reported a total of forty-six (46) cases just yesterday. T&T’s confirmed cases now jumps to 1,727, with 1,029 being active cases.

Four (4) persons have been discharged and 909 patients are in home-isolation under the continuous monitoring of the respective County Medical Officer - Health (CMOH) offices.

The Ministry stated these thirty-six (36) positive cases are from samples taken during the period 23rd August to 29th August 2020. Therefore, this figure is NOT representative of the positive cases over the last 24 hours only.

The Ministry also notes that there are currently 78 COVID-19 positive patients being treated at Hospitals - 61 at Couva and 17 at Caura. Among the 93 at Couva, six (6) are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and nine (9) are in the High Dependency Unit (HDU). There are also currently six (6) COVID-19 positive patients in step-down/transition facilities.

​The thirty-six (36) new patients will be processed for admission at the discretion of the CMOHs.

From Monday 31st August 2020, the wearing of masks in a public space will be mandatory. The path has been paved for this mandatory wearing of masks and increases in fines for breach of the Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2020. The legislation to effect this was unanimously passed in the Senate on Saturday (29th August 2020) af­ter a sit­ting which spanned more than six (6) hours. The Bill was passed with­out amend­ments.

The Gov­ern­ment's push to ex­pe­dite the law, which would see mem­bers of the pub­lic risk­ing a tick­etable of­fence should they fail to wear a mask in pub­lic, was the ur­gent mat­ter in the Sen­ate.

Attorney General, Faris Al-Rawi, piloted the Bill in the Senate where it was debated and then taken to Committee stage and passed. It was also passed with full support in the House of Representatives. Several Senators contributed to the debate including newly-appointed Opposition Senator Anil Roberts.

The Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce is recommending that there be caveats to protect those who have legitimate medical reasons for being unable to wear masks, or who are engaged in activities which do not facilitate wearing masks. It said the law must include the appropriate penalties in keeping with fines for similar offenses and relative international benchmarks.

Failure to wear a mask will attract a fine of $1,000 on the first offence, $2,000 on the second offence and $5,000 by way of the third offence.

Prime Minister Keith Rowley announced the new law would go into effect from Monday during a Press Conference held at the Diplomatic Centre in St. Ann’s on Saturday.

​Minister of National Security, Stuart Young, clarified at the Press Conference that a lone motorist in their vehicle will not be mandated to wear a mask. However, if there are multiple people in the vehicle at a time, in an effort to assist the Police with enforcing the law, all passengers will be required to wear masks.

The Ministry of Health revealed in its 6pm update this evening (Sunday 30th August 2020) that there are eight (8) additional cases of COVID-19 in Trinidad and Tobago. The Ministry reported thirty-eight (38) cases this morning, bringing today’s total to forty-six (46). Two (2) more deaths were also reported this morning, bringing the county’s total to twenty-one (21).

T&T’s confirmed cases now jumps to 1,691, with 998 being active cases.

The Ministry stated these eight (8) positive cases are from samples taken during the period 22nd August to 29th August 2020. Therefore, this figure is NOT representative of the positive cases over the last 24 hours only.

​The Ministry provided absolutely no other information about these eight (8) new cases other than to say all established protocols have been implemented.

The Ministry of Health revealed in its 10am update this morning (Sunday 30th August 2020) that there are unfortunately two (2) more COVID-19 related deaths in Trinidad and Tobago, plus thirty-eight (38) additional cases. There have now been thirteen (13) recent deaths, bringing the total deaths to twenty-one (21).

​The Ministry reported a total of ninety-one (91) cases just yesterday. T&T’s confirmed cases now jumps to 1,683, with 990 being active cases.

Eight (8) persons have been discharged and 870 patients are in home-isolation under the continuous monitoring of the respective County Medical Officer - Health (CMOH) offices.

The Ministry stated these thirty-eight (38) positive cases are from samples taken during the period 22nd August to 29th August 2020. Therefore, this figure is NOT representative of the positive cases over the last 24 hours only.

The Ministry also notes that there are currently 75 COVID-19 positive patients being treated at Hospitals - 59 at Couva and 16 at Caura. Among the 59 at Couva, six (6) are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and seven (7) are in the High Dependency Unit (HDU). There are also currently seven (7) COVID-19 positive patients in step-down/transition facilities.

The thirty-eight (38) new patients will be processed for admission at the discretion of the CMOHs.

The Ministry of Health revealed in its 6pm update this evening (Saturday 29th August 2020) that there are sixty-eight (68) additional cases of COVID-19 in Trinidad and Tobago. The Ministry reported twenty-three (23) cases this morning, bringing today’s total to ninety-one (91). T&T’s confirmed cases now jumps to 1,645, with 962 being active cases.

The Ministry stated these sixty-eight (68) positive cases are from samples taken during the period 23rd August to 29th August 2020. Therefore, this figure is NOT representative of the positive cases over the last 24 hours only.

The Ministry provided absolutely no other information about these sixty-eight (68) new cases other than to say all established protocols have been implemented.

Prime Minister Keith Rowley held a Press Conference at 2:30pm this afternoon to discuss the Government’s latest plans to combat the rampant spread of COVID-19 in Trinidad and Tobago. If you missed that Press Conference, you can catch up on the key points that were discussed.

Prime Minister Keith Rowley held a Press Conference at 2:30pm this afternoon (Saturday 29th August 2020) to discuss the Government’s latest plans to combat the rampant spread of COVID-19 in Trinidad and Tobago.

​Below are the key points discussed today:

- Prime Minister Keith Rowley said there will be no drastic changes in Government’s COVID-19 response, but measures implemented over the last few weeks and months will continue. They include:

• No in-house dining at restaurants and bars.
• All beaches to remain closed to the public (without exemptions).
• All places of worship to remain closed.
• Gyms to remain closed.
• No team sports and contact sports.
• Water parks to remain closed.
• Casinos and Members Clubs to remain closed.
• Cinemas to remain closed.
• Gatherings remain limited to five (5) people.
• Funerals and weddings remain limited to ten (10) people.
• Travel between both islands to be restricted unless it is absolutely essential.

- Prime Minister Rowley noted that the Senate is currently debating the Bill to make mask-wearing mandatory. He said if the Bill is passed, by Monday (31st August 2020) it would be illegal to be in a public place without a mask.

- Maxi Taxi groups are expected to meet the Transport Minister on their concerns on limited passenger capacity.

- For the next fourteen (14) days, in order to keep the population of moving people down as much as possible, the Public Service will be on "essential services only.’ This means more people will be working from home, utilizing teleconferencing and other means in order to get their jobs done. Workers are reminded that they are NOT on vacation. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Roshan Parasram, said Essential Services are being asked to implement their contingency plans now to ensure business continuity. He confirmed that three (3) units in the Ministry of Health were down in the last few weeks due to matters related to COVID-19.

- Prime Minister Rowley said there is life, and there is livelihood. He said Government is trying to preserve lives while keeping livelihoods going. He said the Government is not shutting down places "as a fashion."

- Prime Minister Rowley: We are not expecting to eliminate the virus from the population. The virus is here with us, in all populations in the World. But we have to be in a position to have the healthcare response so the virus does not overcome us.

- Prime Minister Rowley noted that there have been no COVID-19 related deaths at any of the Homes for the Aged. This is because the Government took steps to isolate this vulnerable group.

- Prime Minister Rowley noted that T&T has been responding to the Coronavirus Pandemic since January 2020. He assured the national community that measures over the past eight (8) months are working.

- Currently there are 76 persons hospitalised for COVID-19:

• Couva: 63 (6 in ICU, 10 in HDU).
• Caura: 13.

- The following is a breakdown of persons at step-down facilities:

• Balandra: 2
• Tacarigua: 2
• UWI Penal/Debe: 3
• NAPA: 3

- Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said persons who live in close quarters with others and are unable to properly self-isolate can voluntarily come in to State-supervised quarantine. This applies to people who live in apartment buildings, small homes with limited bedroom/bathroom space.

- Minister Deyalsingh noted that Health Officials have always maintained that they wanted hospital capacity to remain between 60% and 75%. If they didn't take recent measures, occupation levels would have increased but new measures have ensured numbers have come down.

- Prime Minister Rowley said he has been getting a lot of "aggressive advice" on COVID-19. He said no advice is ever dismissed but all adjustments have been made based on scientific data.

- National Security Minister Stuart Young: A motorist alone in their vehicle doesn't have to wear a mask while in the vehicle. However, family members traveling in a vehicle or passengers in PH/taxis/maxi taxis MUST wear their masks.

Watch the Press Conference below in its entirety.