For a fourth day, Guyana yesterday reported that testing had not found any new cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The Public Health Ministry said the total number of cases remained at 153 after 20 new tests were done.
The total number of persons tested stood at 1,719 in the latest reporting by the ministry.
With no new cases being found in recent days, some believe that Guyana is on the path to flattening the curve. However this has occurred before where the number of cases recorded had not increased for days.
The total number of deaths as a result of the virus remains at 12, while the number of persons recovered has increased to 77, moving the number of active cases or persons in institutional isolation down to 64. One more person has been admitted to the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, while 25 persons are in institutional quarantine.
During the Ministry’s live update yesterday, Regional Health Officer for Region Three Dr. Cerdel McWatt stated that within the region they started preparations to tackle COVID-19 outbreak in early March. He stated that they had formed a regional task force with the relevant stakeholders which meets every 48 hours.
He added that they continuously monitor certain checkpoints in the region, including the Vreed en Hoop and Parika stellings along with the Demerara Harbour Bridge. Dr. McWatt stated that while they mainly depend on mobile testing, it is also being done at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.
The Regional Health Officer noted that to date the region has recorded 14 cases. Further, he said that the region was the first to provide clinical point of care services as the relatives of the index case was housed at one of the facilities in the region.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle, during the update noted that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has donated 48 prefabricated housing units to Guyana to assist in the COVID-19 fight. Dr. Gordon-Boyle added that Region Five is the first to benefit from the donations, which will assist the region in catering to patients affected by COVID-19. “These units will be set up in every region with special attention to very remote locations,” she said.
