By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE presence of the Covid-19 Omicron variant of concern and lower numbers of positive cases are reasons for the decrease in Covid-19 related deaths in Trinidad and Tobago.
Epidemiologist Dr Hinds said that generally, once there was an increase in Covid-19 positive cases, that would mirror an increase in Covid-19-related deaths.
He was speaking at the Ministry of Health’s virtual Covid-19 update on Wednesday.
In response to a question asked concerning the severity of the Omicron strain and its relation to the decreasing daily numbers, Dr Hinds responded, “I believe you are touching on one of the possibilities with respect to the severity of the circulating variant (Omicron) being a little less and therefore giving a little bit of a reprieve with respect to numbers of fatalities at this point in time.”
He also gave the Covid-19 positive cases figures for the past three months that recorded the highest death rates:
- December 2021 – 711 deaths and 20,538 cases;
- January 2022 – 535 deaths and 19,650 cases; and
- November 2021 – 462 deaths and 14,032 cases.
Using graphs, Dr Hinds said, “The proportion of deaths has not changed much, the number of cases that you would have seen in each of these months has been considerably higher than what you would have seen in the year before… The number of deaths to some extent mirrors although it trails by a couple of weeks, the peaks in the numbers of cases.
Last week, he said, the Omicron variant could have been a possible reason for the decreasing deaths.
Dr Hinds added that the fullest extent of care continued to be administered to all patients entering the hospital by healthcare professionals and there was no difference in the type of care given that could have contributed to the decreasing death numbers.
Once again, she pleaded on behalf of every frontline worker for people to get vaccinated.
Dr Abdool-Richards said there was hope as early treatment for Covid-19, as opposed to a reliance on therapies that were not World Health Organization (WHO) approved, has proven to give persons a better chance if admitted to hospital.
She said vaccination continued to be a safe, effective and proven measure to reduce the risk of being hospitalised and requiring ICU care if one contracted the virus.
Dr Abdool-Richards said, “Vaccination is proven to reduce the transmissibility of Covid-19 especially to relatives and friends who may have high-risk factors or cannot be immunized at this point.”
