Carribean Games Postponed

Preliminary reports are coming in that the inaugural Caribbean Games in Trinidad and Tobago are going to have to be postponed due to S1N1 (Swine Flu). A meeting is taking place on Monday, June 22nd to try and find and alternative date. This article talks about the number of TT volleyball players that have come in contact with the virus.

TT’s Influenza A/H1N1 cases jump to 18
By LARA PICKFORD-GORDON Thursday, June 18 2009

After reporting that TT had seven confirmed Influenza A/H1N1 cases on Tuesday, the Health Ministry yesterday reported that the figure has jumped to 18.

This means that TT has the most cases for a Caribbean country while Cuba, Barbados, Bahamas, Dominica has recorded single-digit figures, and the Dominican Republic, one death.

The World Health Organisation reported that 76 countries had 35, 928 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection, including 163 deaths. The Ministry said this was an increase from June 12 when 29,669 cases were reported in 74 countries.

According to a release from the Health Ministry yesterday there are 11 confirmed H1N1 cases in Tobago and seven in TT. It stated, “the most recent cases have been discovered as part of the Ministry’s surveillance procedures and epidemiological controls.”

The Ministry said consistent with protocol the persons infected have been placed in isolation and were being treated. “All patients are doing well,” it said. Newsday learnt that investigations were being conducted into the cause of the increase in Tobago.

Meantime, the Health Ministry has been informed by the health authorities of the US Virgin Islands that no volleyball players from their national team who were in Trinidad and Tobago recently have tested positive for the H1N1 virus. This follows positive tests for one member of the TT volleyball team and 11 members of the Suriname team who participated in the international volleyball tournament held from May 31 to June 6.

The Ministry said it has “ramped up activities in relation to the H1N1 prevention, management and control and is committed to informing the public of all new developments”. Attempts to get additional information regarding the increase in cases in Tobago proved futile. County Medical Officer of Health, Dr Mentor Melville, has been directed to refrain from commenting in the media. Newsday was told that all enquiries are referred to the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health. When Dr Cumberbatch’s office was contacted, Newsday was asked to “direct all enquiries to the Communications Unit”.

“We are conducting surveillance and asking the public to continue using hygiene practices to prevent the spread of the influenza A/H1N1,” said Kevin Garcia Communications Consultant of the Health Ministry in response to a question about the jump in cases in Tobago.