The Ministry of Health yesterday disclosed that a 32nd person has died as a result of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The deceased was identified as 52-year-old Humphrey Alfred of Kingelly, West Coast Berbice. Alfred was also an employee of the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) Berbice branch. He is the first person from Region Five to die after becoming infected with COVID-19.
The Ministry confirmed the death via the daily COVID-19 dashboard that was uploaded on the Ministry’s Facebook page.
During an interview with Stabroek News yesterday, the brother of the deceased, Danny, revealed that Alfred began feeling sick two weekends ago. He says he was informed of this by his mother who encouraged him to call Alfred.
“The Monday before they took him to the hospital, my mom called and told me that he [Alfred] is not feeling that well. I did, I spoke with him and he said he was ok and he will come around and he just get lil’ flu and he gon’ come around,” he recalled.
Alfred was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) two Wednesdays ago. According to his brother Danny, he was taken to the Mahaicony Hospital after his condition further deteriorated and due to the symptoms he was displaying, he was transferred to the GPH, where he was tested for COVID-19.
Danny related that he kept in touch with the doctor who called him and told on Sunday that Alfred had tested positive for COVID-19 and was suffering from severe symptoms of the disease. On Wednesday, they were informed of Alfred’s death shortly after he died.
He noted that his brother suffered from diabetes and occasional hypertension.
According to Danny, Alfred had worked up to the weekend before he fell ill and did not have personal contact with anyone other than his immediate family and workmates.
