PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — The number of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID) jumped to 49 on Saturday after Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh confirmed that 40 of the 68 persons who had been placed in quarantine from a cruise ship had tested positive for the virus.

In addition, National Security Minister Stuart Young said that the island’s entire border will be closed on Sunday “until further notice”.

Deyalsingh told a news conference that despite government having earlier issued a warning to persons to consider travelling overseas, the 68 people had embarked on a cruise ship tour on March 5, a month after the Keith Rowley administration had first made the announcement.

“They subsequently became stranded and as citizens of Trinidad and Tobago they returned on the 17th of March …and were taken to a quarantine facility as per protocol.”

Deyalsingh said that a day before their arrival, the 68 persons on the cruise ship had retained the services of former attorney general Senior Counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj who had written at least two letters to the Minister of National Security and himself on the matter. He said he would not divulge the contents of the letter.

“Be that as it may, the health system continued to respond in a most responsible manner, in a most effective manner, and in a most humane manner, by providing that facility that was outfitted for them to have as comfortable a stay as possible.

“On Thursday, the 19th of March all 68 people were swabbed as per protocol because they fit the definition of who to swab because they were on board a ship with confirmed COVID-19 patients. We got the results between 9:00 and 10:00 pm (local time) on Friday night.

“I could tell you that of the 68 people tested, 40 of the 68 have tested positive for COVID-19. These are the returning citizens who were stranded on that cruise ship,” Deyalsingh said.

He said the persons have since been removed from the quarantine area to the Cuara Hospital, along the east west corridor and appealed to citizens to continue to follow the practices being recommended by the health professionals.

Meanwhile, Young said that as of Sunday night “we will be closing off our borders completely”.

“So as of midnight, tomorrow night, Sunday 22nd March we will no longer be allowing international flights into Trinidad and Tobago. We will be closing our borders, we will of course continue to allow under the restrictions that we have currently, the cargo vessels to come to Trinidad and Tobago. We have put protocols in place,” he said, adding that the pharmaceuticals, food supplies will continue to come here.