With over 1000 COVID-19 tests completed on persons entering Guyana since airports reopened on October 12, 11 positive cases have been recorded, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony said in his daily COVID-19 update on Thursday.
According to Anthony, they have been monitoring all incoming passengers and ensuring that persons with expired COVID-19 tests receive a second one upon entry.
“Since we have started that programme, the provider of those tests they probably would’ve completed over 1000 tests and among those persons who have been tested we have found 11 persons who have been positive and so we keep monitoring. Once we detect a positive person our staff they have an obligation to do several things,” Anthony said.
He explained that in their contract tracing, they inform passengers who sat next to a person who tested positive and others who would have come into contact with the passengers.
The Health Minister related that the positive cases are also reported to the passengers’ port of origin. Anthony said they are mandated to do so as part of their international obligations.
“…By our international obligations we are to tell the country of origin that this passenger has tested positive to our counterparts in that country so we have haven utilizing that system …,” he explained.
According to the guidelines put in place by airport authorities and the Ministry of Health, “If the PCR test is done within 72 hours of travel, the passenger will not be required to do another PCR test on arrival. If the PCR test is done within 4-7 days of travel, the passenger will be required to do a PCR test on arrival,” Anthony had said.
After a PCR test is performed, a passenger is allowed to leave and is mandated to isolate themselves for 24 hours.
The two major airports were closed to commercial flights from midnight of March 18th, although special permission was granted to several airlines to operate repatriation flights in and out of Guyana and flights to transport oil company workers during this period.
