Amid rising positive COVID-19 case counts, the government of Trinidad and Tobago has announced that it will be implementing stricter measures to curb the spread of the virus in the form of an all-island lockdown.

The new measures, which will take effect as of midnight tonight (April 29), will see the close of the countries restaurants, bars, malls, places of worship, gyms, fitness centres, spas, beauty dispensing areas, casinos, cinemas, theatres, and clubs until May 23, 2021.

During the lockdown period, public service will operate on an essential service basis only.

In addition, flights to Tobago will be limited to three a day, recreational tours will not take place, and the sea bridge will operate at 25 per cent.

As an added measure, the government said the police would now be able to enter private homes and end activities that disregard the existing COVID-19 health protocols.

Addressing a COVID-19 press conference held earlier today, Trinidadian Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley stated that “the numbers we are seeing now are slightly ahead of the projected numbers that we would have made in some quarters and in some other quarters we would see the curve not going in the direction we would like it to go”.

As a result of this, coupled with the country recording 328 new cases of the virus in a 24-hour period, Rowley said that as “difficult as (the lockdown) is it is the best option open to us”.

To date, Trinidad has recorded 10,170 COVID-19 cases of which 8,351 patients have recovered.

At present, the country’s death toll stands at 163 and there are now 1,656 active cases.