The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has claimed another life in Guyana, bringing the death toll to six while the number of confirmed positive cases has risen to 37.
During the daily COVID-19 update on Wednesday, Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence confirmed that a sixth person had died as a result of the disease.
Lawrence stated that as of April 8th, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases now stands at 37 with the deaths as a result of the virus increasing to six, thus confirming reports that spread on Tuesday night. She noted that the test results conducted on the deceased man confirmed that he was a positive case.
Lawrence mentioned that the number of persons tested for the virus also went up to 145, from 132 on Tuesday, with four new positive cases.
Some 27 persons are now in institutional quarantine, while 30 persons are currently under institutional isolation as the number of persons hospitalized in the Ministry’s COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has dropped to three. The minister during the almost eight-minute update did not provide a regional breakdown yesterday. She added that 10 persons were at that time expected to be released from the ministry’s facilities. Lawrence also said some seven persons who were quarantined and three who were isolated were medically cleared to go home.
The minister stated that calls to the COVID-19 hotline totaled 1,627 from Regions, One, Two, Three, Four, Six and Ten. However, no mention was made of traffic or reports from the newly launched online application. The minister only urged persons to make use of the application and input information which will be “instantly reviewed” by the surveillance department.
Another suspected case in Region 10
Meanwhile, it was revealed that the one person who was transferred from the Mackenzie Hospital in Linden to George-town on suspicion of having COVID-19 has tested positive for the virus. In a statement, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Ten said that the individual is a 49-year-old man who had reportedly accommodated some overseas guests at his home and it is suspected that he contracted the virus from the visitors whom he interacted with as he had not left his home.
The statement also mentioned that there is also another suspected case—a six-year-old who was rushed to the Linden Hospital suffering from “respiratory challenges.” However, before they were able to have the child transferred to Georgetown, she died. According to acting Medical Superintendent of the Linden Hospital Complex Dr. Joseph London, the child was taken to the hospital with a mild fever, shortness of breath and stomach pains. A number of tests along with X-Rays were performed on the girl and it was recommended that she be transferred to George-town for a “higher level of care”.
It was further disclosed that within an hour and a half of arrangements being made to have the child taken to Georgetown, she died while in the Emergency Room. The acting Medical Superintendent was quoted as saying, “While we were waiting to transfer her, she was not maintaining oxygen over 70, which made her unstable for transfer. She was resuscitated to [a] comfortable level and her condition continued to worsen, resulting in her dying.” He added that while the child’s condition was suspicious however they were unable to conduct a test.
During an emergency meeting held on Wednesday to address the region’s contingency plans, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle told the regional authorities that it is important to have a test conducted on the six-year-old to determine if she indeed had COVID-19. The statement from the RDC quoted the DCMO as saying “It was important for the medical staff to have tested her within 24 hours after she… died but taking into account that she may have already been taken to the morgue where she is in the fridge I am not sure if the samples being taken off will yield a proper results”. Nonetheless, Dr. Gordon-Boyle urged the medical team to have a test conducted.
Meanwhile, Dr. London noted that according to medical reports from Georgetown, the man who was transferred and tested positive has worsened and as a result, a number of persons that interacted with him will be quarantined. He said staff members at the hospital who came into contact with the man all wore Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as they followed the standard operating procedures. The health authorities in the region are now investigating reports of the man visiting at least two health centres in the previous week. An investigation is also expected to be conducted into the death of the six-year-old with the view of having family members evaluated.
