Both Trinidadians and Tobagonians have been urged to ‘take stock’ of their personal health and lifestyle choices, as the Scarborough General Hospital entered Emergency Mode overnight, with both its surgical and medical wards filled to capacity.

On Monday night, a Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) release noted that the Scarborough Hospital’s adult medical ward was at capacity at 33 patients and its surgical ward with 33. Thirteen patients were awaiting admission at the A&E at the time.

Speaking on i95.5 FM radio yesterday morning, Secretary of Health Dr Faith Brebnor said, the cause of the overwhelmed system stemmed from an ageing and ‘unhealthy’ population , a trend that had been observed for at least a year on the island, though she said she was unsure if it extended to Trinidad.