Chairman of Region Six, David Armogan yesterday confirmed that traffic between Orealla and Siparuta has been placed on hold as the health authorities are working to administer COVID-19 tests in both communities after some positive cases were discovered.
As of yesterday afternoon, Region Six had recorded 147 cases of the virus with a total of five deaths.
During a virtual press conference, Armogan said that there were likely over 30 active cases while the results for 73 samples were still pending.
As of last evening, one team was present in each of the two indigenous villages carrying out testing.
“We have decided to stop the movement of people from Orealla to Siparuta”, he said.
He noted that there is a route by boat and land, and as such, efforts have been made to stop traffic at both points, “… until we have completed the testing in both Siparuta and Orealla”.
He explained that the first positive case came from a child in Siparuta which led to mass testing in the village which then revealed other cases.
“One person died from Siparuta, an 87-year-old guy”, the chairman disclosed, while noting that a pregnant resident from Siparuta is presently hospitalized at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Armogan also disclosed that there is an isolation facility in Springlands, Corentyne where persons are being quarantined. He said persons who have tested positive but have not been showing any symptoms will be ordered to isolate in Orealla or Siparuta, while those that are showing symptoms will be quarantined at the Springlands facility.
He further stated that they are also working with the task force and CDC to ensure that a plan is put in place, “Because remember if you locking down these areas you have to take in food supplies and other supplies that the people would need”.
Hotspots
Meanwhile, in addition to Orealla and Siparuta, the chairman further identified Vryman’s Erven, Angoy’s Avenue and Canje as some of the COVID-19 hotspots in Region Six.
The Chairman said, “We are doing more testing too in the Vryman’s Erven area and also we have a few cases too in some areas like Angoy’s Avenue” and that some cases have also been popping up in Canje.
He also stressed that they will have to look at the situation closely before considering any type of lockdown for the region.
“We may have to be able to monitor certain areas where we have a spike …I don’t think the National Task Force would allow it at this stage to lock down the region because we don’t seem to have a problem in the entire region”.
However, he said, contact tracing will be done and if it escalates further then they will have to look at recommending a lockdown to the National COVID-19 Task Force.
Armogan noted that while he was advised against identifying the hotspots to the media, he decided to go ahead as he believes that residents should be made aware of them, “so that people know how to operate… For the benefit of our region I think people should know where the hotspots are”.
He urged residents to adhere to the guidelines.
