PRINCIPAL Medical Officer of Institutions Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards says occupancy rates in the parallel healthcare system in Trinidad was now at 70%.
She was speaking at a press conference held by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on Friday.
Abdool-Richards said this occupancy rate was the highest since March 12, 2021 and called for people to stop congregating as Covid-19 cases were increasing in Trinidad and Tobago.
She said, “Please give your mothers a chance to have another Mother’s Day”
“Let us stop comingling, and congregating as we are exposing family members to the Covid-19 virus,” she added.
The PMO said ward occupancy rates increased to 70%, the discharge rate was 3%, with patients spending between three to 21 days in hospital.
She said 60 new beds will be added to the parallel healthcare system.
Dr Abdool-Richards said as at 10 am on Friday, there were of 271 new Covid-19 cases. She said 18% of cases needed hospitalisation.
The PMO said capacity at the various hospitals were
98% at Caura Hospital, 75% at the Couva Hospital and Multi-Taraining Facility, 60% at the Arima General Hospital and 100% at Augustus Long Hospital.
She said between March 1 to May 5, the number of people requiring ambulance care increase by 47%, and this impacted on emergency services for non-Covid-19 patients.
