CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER EXPLAINS TO THE NATION HOW NEW COVID -19 DEATH FIGURES WERE DETERMINED

The Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rhonda Sealy-Thomas,is giving further insights into the reasonsfor increasing the number of COVID-19 related deaths by 10.

The Epidemiology (epi –dee-me-ology) Unit in the Ministry of Health recently undertook an audit of the deaths related to the virus.  This, reportedly, was to  ensure that Antigua and Barbuda’s figures are correct based on international requirements.

Speaking on State television on Tuesday night, May 18, Dr. Sealy-Thomas said there are set criteria for the reporting of COVID-19 deaths.

Last weekend, Prime Minister Gaston Browne reported that a man who had died in a motorcycle accident was later found to have had the virus. He added that another person who had died from a heart attack was tested, and this individual, too, had been COVID-positive.

Browne indicated, then, that these deaths might have to be added to the dashboard.

However, the CMO explains how the 10 revised cases were added to the death toll.