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The Ministry of Health said it continues to monitor global trends for COVID-19 and other viruses of concern.
In a Media Release this afternoon (Thursday 18th January, 2024), the Ministry said in this regard, it notes “the global increase in COVID-19 cases within recent months. A similar trend was noted in the Caribbean region and locally, as a result of increased movement of persons, which usually occurs during the Christmas and the Carnival Seasons, among other factors.” The Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh, Minister of Health, recently announced an increase in hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 in the country. The Ministry notes that for the period 23rd December, 2023 to 15th January, 2024, unfortunately five (5) deaths were recorded. As of today (18th January, 2024), however, six (6) deaths were recorded, four (4) of which occurred in January 2024. The Ministry is advising the public that Trinidad and Tobago received confirmation today of its first COVID-19 case belonging to the JN.1 sub-variant category, from CARPHA. This sub-variant is a descendant of the Omicron variant. At this time, the Ministry notes that there is no evidence to suggest that the JN.1 sub-variant causes more severe illness. However, evidence suggests that it may be more easily spread from person to person than its predecessor. The most recently emerged JN.1 variant is a descendent of BA.2.86 that has gained significantly higher transmission ability. With an additional substitution mutation (L455S) in the spike protein, the JN.1 variant exhibits faster circulation than BA.2.86 worldwide. The Ministry is therefore encouraging persons to weigh the risk to themselves, their families and their communities, and to take the necessary precautions to safeguard lives. The Ministry said it will continue to encourage the public to practice good hygiene with the aim of reducing the spread of viruses, including Influenza and COVID-19. These include the following:
The Ministry said it must be noted that persons belonging to vulnerable groups are more prone to severe outcomes if they contract COVID-19. Therefore, the elderly, pregnant women, immuno-compromised persons and those with chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are advised to exercise greater caution at this time. The Ministry advises that it will continue to monitor the situation and will update the public as necessary. More on this as it becomes available. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. We are a small operation. If you've found our articles to be informative, please consider supporting us via PayPal or buying us a coffee. Your contribution is incredibly appreciated and goes a long way. Simply sharing our articles also helps us. Sign up for our free WhatsApp Alerts to be notified as soon as we post breaking news. NEW! Check out our Merchandise Store for high-quality t-shirts, hats and more!
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