A total of 42 new positive COVID-19 cases were recorded since July 12th, the Ministry of Public Health reported yesterday. Up to yesterday, when one new case was confirmed from the latest test results, Guyana’s total number of positive COVID-19 cases stood at 337.
During the Ministry of Public Health’s COVID-19 daily update, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle announced that 84 new tests were done and out of that only one new case was recorded. This increased the total number of persons tested to 3,769.
There are now 155 active cases within institutional isolation, while 163 persons have so far recovered from the virus. There are 15 persons in institutional quarantine even as the number of persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has reduced to two. Dr. Gordon-Boyle noted that the number of recoveries is encouraging, however, management of the confirmed cases remains a challenging hurdle as the cases continue to climb.
“Since July 12th, we have detected 42 new cases with many of the new cases reported in Regions One and Nine,” she stated.
In that time, the National COVID-19 Task Force has proceeded with a plan to relax some COVID-19 measures while reopening the economy.
Giving a breakdown of the case and death count, Gordon-Boyle noted that in Region One 102 cases have been recorded, with one death, while in Region Four 120 cases were recorded with 14 deaths. In Region Seven 54 cases were recorded with one death, three cases were recorded in Region Eight with no deaths and Region Nine has recorded 11 cases and one death.
The hotspots for the virus in Region One are Moruca and Mabaruma, while in Region Seven they are at Aranka, Bartica and Sulphur Rose. Itabac and Mahdia are the hotspots in Region Eight, while Lethem is Region Nine’s hotspot. While Gordon-Boyle noted that the public health ministry is intensifying its work in the hinterland regions, she said those bordering regions are still vulnerable to having imported cases.
“The ministry is urging schools that are scheduled to reopen for the new academic year to begin thinking and drawing up a comprehensive plan to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus,” she stated.
She also suggested that a joint committee between parents and teachers be set up to ensure that “the safest school environment is created” before students are to return to school.
