Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh and Minister of National Security, Stuart Young have announced that someone in Trinidad and Tobago has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The case was confirmed at 2.45pm on Thursday, March 12.

Speaking at a press conference immediately following the post cabinet media briefing, Deyalsingh and Young explained that the patient is a 52-year-old male citizen of Trinidad and Tobago who returned from Switzerland on Monday night.

He did not immediately display symptoms and so, despite being screened, he was cleared to leave the airport.

This makes him T&T’s first imported case of the novel-coronavirus.

Deyalsingh has added that the patient has been in self-isolation since Monday. His family, who also self-isolated, has been quarantined and tested.

Authorities are also conducting contact tests to determine whether anyone else may have picked up the virus.

Minister Young says the man began experiencing symptoms of the virus on Wednesday and contacted a medical professional who conducted the initial examination.

His sample was taken to the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s (CARPHA) laboratory where testing for the virus was conducted.

Despite the positive diagnosis, Deyalsingh is calling on citizens to be careful and to be vigilant but, to refrain from panicking and panic buying.

Minister Young also clarified that there would be no change in protocols for now, since this lone case doesn’t have a drastic impact on T&T.

Chief Medical Officer, Roshan Parsaram, revealed that 51 people have been tested for the novel coronavirus so far.

Authorities are also advising that those with basic flu symptoms reach out to medical professionals to get tested for COVID-19, particularly the elderly members of the population.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as information comes to hand.