PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Trinidad and Tobago registered seven new deaths from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Friday as Suriname also recorded deaths linked to the virus that has killed millions of people worldwide.

Trinidad’s Ministry of Health in its latest bulletin said that the seven new deaths bring the total since March last year to 348, while there have also been 708 new cases of people testing positive for the virus. The ministry said that the seven deaths included five men and that six of the deceased had comorbidities.

It said that the number of active positive cases as a result is now 7,488, with the overall total positive cases being 18,935.

The authorities said 407 patients are in hospitals across the country, while 328 are in state sanctioned quarantine facilities and 6,210 in home isolation.

The ministry said that the number of new cases reflect the samples taken during the period May 14-20 and not the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Suriname recorded one death over the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll so far for the month to 36. The country has so far recorded 240 COVID-19 related deaths since March last year.

The authorities said that 162 people tested positive from 502 swabs and that the total number of positive cases rose to 12,571. They said that 97 people have recovered over the past 24 hours, pushing the total to 10,604.

There are 29 COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit, 199 men in the various hospitals with 732 in isolation.