Guyana has recorded two new cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), while six persons are now in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
As a result, the country has now recorded a total of 286 confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 143 are active.
This was revealed by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle during the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) daily COVID-19 update yesterday.
She also reported that 125 persons of all positive cases have recovered from the disease thus far, while 19 persons are in institutional quarantine. The number of COVID-19 related deaths remains at 16 or 6% of all the recorded cases.
Gordon-Boyle also reported that Region One is currently managing 69% of all active cases.
Meanwhile, the DCMO stated that an ongoing survey by the MoPH in collaboration with the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has indicated that the level of fear of becoming infected with COVID-19 has decreased from 81.6% to 63.5 % among respondents over a period of four weeks.
In addition, she said, 30% of all respondents reported that they were unwilling to give up their daily practices and adhere to guidelines outlined by MoPH. Also, 70% of respondents indicated that they wear a mask when going out in public. She added that 58% indicated that they observe the six-foot social distancing guideline and 76% indicated that they wash or sanitise their hands frequently.
Gordon-Boyle added that persons shouldn’t only wear masks because it is a requirement to enter some public places and stressed that the mask is used for the protection of not only the persons themselves but also for the protection of others.
Further, she said, parents should not be sending their children to the markets or shops without masks. “Our assets for the future are our children and we do not wish to put them at risk. So, if we are sending them to the shops or markets ensure that they are appropriately attired with a face mask,” she urged.
“The information above indicates that most persons are aware of what is needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, it begs this question, what is preventing you from acting on your knowledge? Fear moved from 82% to 64%, indicating that there may be fatigue when it comes to the public response to the messages concerning COVID-19. It is important that you understand that in spite of the 6% death rate that there is no predication as to who might have a fatal case or who might have a mild one. Thirty percent are unwilling to give up your freedoms in order to adhere to the guidelines that could save your life. At the same time 70% have made the sacrifice for ourselves and fellow man,” she stated.
Gordon-Boyle then encouraged persons to “get with the programme,” while adding that the saying that “prevention is better than cure” is still applicable to the situation, especially since COVID-19 has no cure as it is constantly mutating.
She also stated that numerous checkpoints have been established in various areas across the country and persons who are travelling should make use of those checkpoints.
Nine of Guyana’s ten administrative regions have recorded cases of COVID-19.
Region Seven has 38 known cases of COVID-19, most of which are from the Aranka mining area. Due to the fact that Aranka is not a community, there is no permanent health facility in the area, an official of Region Seven has revealed. As a result, the MoPH took the initiative and set up pre-fabricated housing units in the area so that persons can be screened, tested and isolated. Considering that there was no isolation facility in Aranka, many of the infected persons were brought out to Bartica and Georgetown to be isolated. The region has also recorded one death.
In Region Eight, only one confirmed COVID-19 case has been recorded thus far. The Regional Executive Officer Mitzy Campbell told Stabroek News that this was a consequence of a person who travelled from the Moruca sub-district to Mahdia. The patient is being isolated in Mahdia. She stated that since the confirmation of that case, a number of persons have been tested.
Meanwhile, in Region Nine, five cases of COVID-19 have been recorded, inclusive of one death and a recovery. This is according to the Regional Executive Officer Carl Parker, who said that four of the cases are imported from Brazil. There are three active cases in the region.
Regions Two, Three, Four, Six and Ten have also recorded cases of the disease. To date Region Five has not recorded any.
