The government has moved to extend the implementation of the national COVID-19 emergency measures for another month even as the number of positive cases of the virus in Guyana continues to increase daily.
Previously the government had been rolling back measures in order to reopen the country’s economy despite rising numbers.
The continuing measures will now expire on March 31st unless earlier terminated by the Minister of Health. They include the 10.30 pm to 4 am curfew as well as restrictions on a number of social activities are extended. Indoor dining at a restaurant and bar is restricted to 40% of the building’s capacity and with no more than 4 persons seated at one table. Religious gatherings are also restricted to 40% of the buildings’ capacity while gyms are restricted to 50%.
Mask wearing and social distancing remain mandatory. The failure to comply with the gazetted measures is an offence under Section 152 of Public Health Ordinance and offenders are liable to summary conviction to the penalty provided under that section.
You can access the complete list of measures in the order here: https://bit.ly/2ZXBogY
Up to yesterday, the Health Ministry confirmed the total number of COVID-19 cases recorded to date as being 8,550.
According to the ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard, 37 new cases were confirmed from 654 tests that were done, with 29 cases from Region Four, 6 cases from Region Three and 2 cases from Region Nine.
The dashboard also revealed that 4 persons were in the COVID-19 ICU, 22 persons in institutional isolation, 358 in home isolation and 18 persons in institutional quarantine. It was stated that 7, 971 persons who were infected with the virus have recovered, while 195 have died.
Based on the dashboard data released from last Sunday to yesterday, 151 cases were confirmed from 5,661 tests done.
Guyana, which has already begun immunising health care workers, is expected to receive a donation of 80,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID-19 from the Government of India this week.
