The Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development held a media briefing on the Division’s response to the threat of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The panel members included Secretary of the Division Councillor Dr. Agatha Carrington, Acting County Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) Dr. Tiffany Hoyte, Head of the Accident and Emergency Department – Scarborough General Hospital Dr. Ian Sammy, and TRHA Acting General Manager – Primary Care Services Dr. Roxanne Mitchell.

Dr. Hoyte indicated that 99% of the cases are in China. She said that the case fatality rate in China is 3.4% and for the rest of the world it’s 1.4%. “As of February 25th, out of every 100 persons infected in China, three have died,” Dr. Hoyte said.

She added that, “The key to containment is rapid identification, quick isolation and treatment, and then contact tracing.”

Dr. Hoyte told members of the media that this is the procedure health officials have been following in response to the threat and that the response was multi-sectoral.

Health Secretary Dr. Carrington emphasised that health officials remained in a state of readiness and would keep the public abreast of COVID-19 updates.