Regional Six health officials yesterday said that there is no suspected case of the coronavirus in Region Six.
This was despite claims on social media by persons purporting to be staff members of the Port Mourant Hospital that a medical student with symptoms was transferred from the Georgetown Public Hospi-tal to the Corentyne medical facility.
Regional Medical Superintendent, Vasana Henry, yesterday at a press conference, stated, that there were no cases of coronavirus but instead the medical student had flu-like symptoms on Saturday which subsided by Sunday morning.
According to Henry, the student who is from Nigeria and is studying in New Amsterdam had no place to reside and as such he was being provided with temporary housing at the health facility. After experiencing the flu-like symptoms he decided to seek medical attention at the hospital. She noted, “The student has no place of abode and as such we would have been providing that area for the person to stay. There was no transfer from Georgetown”.
She said, prior to the student entering Guyana he would have been screened at every port of entry including Guyana. The student reportedly traveled through Germany, Barba-dos and Trinidad before arriving in Guyana.
Shortage of supplies
Meanwhile, Jevaughn Stephens, Regional Health Director also gave the assurance yesterday that precautions are being taken throughout the region at every level. According to him, a semi- quarantine area has since been set up at the Port Mourant Hospital.
Further, he said that the regional hospitals were equipped with protective gear, disinfectants and other items.
“Some of the guidelines given to us by the ministry is to ensure that there is more bleach around, hand sanitizers, more face masks and paper towels and so on… We would have ensured that all our facilities are fully supplied with these items”.
However, some staff at the health facilities, who were present at yesterday’s press conference, interjected and claimed that “there is no Lysol, no hand sanitizer, no masks, there is nothing”.
Stephens then responded, “If these items are not available you need to check with your admin office and ensure that they have it available because at a regional level there is no shortage of these items”.
However, another staffer then said, “When we go to the office, the office said they haven’t collected”.
Stephens then insisted that “The admin officer is here and if she has been telling you that as of recent then it is inaccurate”.
However, another staff member then revealed that she “went to stores with the book to sign for items and was told there is nothing available”.
Stephens then stated that he would have a discussion with the admin officer to deal with the matter.
