The United States has reached yet another grim milestone. On Tuesday (19th January 2021) the confirmed COVID-19 death toll topped 400,000, on the eve before President-Elect Joe Biden is inaugurated as the country’s 46th President.

The milestone comes just over a month after the U.S surpassed 300,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths (14th December 2020), and only seventeen (17) days since hitting 350,000 reported deaths (2nd January 2021), according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

The number of lives lost in the U.S could fill Madison Square Garden in New York City nearly twenty (20) times over and is roughly equivalent to the population of Tampa, Florida, or Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The 400,000 lives lost is more deaths than the number of U.S soldiers that died in battle during World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War combined, an analysis of data compiled by the Department of Veterans Affairs shows.

Globally, the virus has claimed more than 2 Million lives so far. The U.S accounts for approximately 19.5% of the World's COVID-19 related deaths and now top 24 Million total cases.

[Source: ABC News]

The Ministry of Health revealed in its daily 4pm update this afternoon (Tuesday 19th January 2021) that there are sixteen (16) additional COVID-19 cases in Trinidad and Tobago. This represents a 166.67% increase in reported cases from yesterday.

The Ministry reported six (6) cases yesterday. The country’s death toll currently stands at 132. T&T’s confirmed cases now rises to 7,415, with 338 being active cases. A total of 6,945 patients have recovered from the virus to date.

The Ministry states that the number of positive cases reported reflects the samples taken during the period 16th - 18th January 2021 and not the last 24 hours.

In its latest update, the Ministry notes that three (3) persons have been discharged from public health facilities and there have been four (4) recovered community cases. Recovered community cases refer to persons who were previously COVID-19 positive and in self-isolation at home, and subsequently met the discharge criteria and were released from self-isolation.

The Ministry also notes that there are currently forty-two (42) COVID-19 positive patients being treated at Hospitals:

• 23 at Couva.
• 12 at Caura.
• 1 at St. Ann’s.
• ​6 at Scarborough Regional.

​Among the patients at Couva, two (2) are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). There are also currently five (5) COVID-19 positive patients in step-down/transition facilities.

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

With no visitors, no revenue, no endowment, and no direct Governmental assistance, the 25-room Eco-Lodge at the Asa Wright Nature Centre has been forced to cease operations and terminate forty-two (42) employees.

The difficulty decision was made as a result of the continued closure of the borders and limited physical movement as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The forty-two (42) employees were terminated on Friday (15th January 2021).

According to Board Chairperson, Professor Judith Gobin, it became impossible to maintain the monthly operating cost of approximately $450,000, which included payment of salaries.

The not-for-profit Trust remains in existence and there are assurances by Professor Gobin that the conservation and protection work of the wildlife sanctuary continues and she is heartened by the response to its call for funding for this work - which was first made in October 2020.

Since 1967, the Lodge has offered accommodation in cottages near the Main House to both local and foreign visitors alike, attracting mainly eco-tourists, nature lovers and bird-watchers from all over the World. It is considered one of the top Eco-Lodges in the World and was recognized in The New York Times # 1 bestseller book, “1,000 Places To See Before You Die,” by Patricia Shulz.

[Source: Trinidad Express]

A 22-year-old civilian employee has been granted $250,000 bail after he appeared in Court, charged with the larceny of a firearm and ammunition from President’s House.

A Media Release from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) states that Kyle Scott appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine at the Port-of-Spain Fifth Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Monday 18th January 2021), charged with larceny of the firearm and ammunition at President’s House, which took place on 13th January 2021.

Scott was represented by Attorney-At-Law Samuel Thomas. Scott was not called upon to plead as no recommendations were made. The accused was later granted bail in the sum of $250,000, to be approved by the Registrar or the Clerk of the Court. The matter was postponed to 15th February 2021 and transferred to the Port-of-Spain 4B Court.

The TTPS further states that around 2:30pm on 13th January 2021, a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, attached to the President's House, secured his service issued pistol - a Sig Sauer P226 and two (2) magazines and thirty (30) rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition in a locker in the male dormitory and went away. He returned around 6:30pm on the said date and discovered the locker broken into and the firearm and ammunition missing. He gave no one permission to remove the items.

The scene was visited by Ag Sgt Kamal, and several persons were interviewed. WPC Mc Clean, of the Belmont CID, continued inquiries and during the course of the investigations, the missing items were recovered in a vehicle in Port-of-Spain.

One person was detained and after further investigations were conducted, the charge was laid.

The Ministry of Health revealed in its daily 4pm update this afternoon (Monday 18th January 2021) that there are six (6) additional COVID-19 cases in Trinidad and Tobago. This represents a 73.91% decrease in reported cases from yesterday.

The Ministry reported twenty-three (23) cases yesterday and yet another unfortunate death. The country’s death toll currently stands at 132. T&T’s confirmed cases now rises to 7,399, with 329 being active cases. A total of 6,938 patients have recovered from the virus to date.

​The Ministry states the number of positive cases reported reflects the samples taken during the period 15th - 17th January 2021 and not the last 24 hours.

The Ministry also notes that there are currently forty-two (42) COVID-19 positive patients being treated at Hospitals and five (5) patients are in step-down/transition facilities.

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

Two (2) Venezuelans, 20 and 46, along with two (2) Trinidadians, 32 and 56, were arrested in Moruga early this morning (Monday 18th January 2021) after they were found with six (6) monkeys, a gun and ammunition.

According to a Media Release by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Officers were on mobile patrol along Lance Mitan Road, Moruga, when around 1am, they stopped a black Cube motor vehicle with four (4) male occupants. A search of the vehicle was conducted and a Smith and Wesson nine-millimetre pistol with thirty-two (32) rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition were allegedly found. An additional search was conducted, resulting in the discovery of six (6) monkeys. The four (4) occupants were subsequently arrested.

Investigations are ongoing.