An elderly man who was among the cruise ship passengers quarantined at Camp Balandra and then transferred to the Couva Hospital after falling ill, has died from complications as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
In a statement, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Health said that despite the best efforts of the health care professionals, a second national of Trinidad and Tobago who tested positive for COVID-19 had died. This was an elderly gentleman with pre-existing medical complications, said the Ministry.
The Express was told that the 80 year old man is the second fatality recorded in Trinidad and Tobago.
The first death was that of 77-year-old Hansel Leon, who died at the same Couva Hospital on Wednesday.
Due to their age, both deceased men were considered in the highest risk of not surviving the effects of the virus. The country has now recorded a total of 66 COVID-19 cases.
Researchers say that the overall chance of a person dying from the COVID-19 infection is less than one per cent. However, the death rate is ten times higher for the elderly.
The risk is even higher for those elderly with diabetes, heart or lung problems and those with high blood pressure. There are now more than half a million cases of COVID-19 worldwide and more than 25,000 deaths.
