The village council of Sand Creek in Region Nine has imposed a two-week lockdown on the community after three cases of COVID-19 were recently confirmed.
Two of the positive cases were imported from Brazil, where there are concerns of a more transmissible COVID-19 variant. According to the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) Communications Officer, Immaculata Casimero, the couple illegally travelled to Guyana from Brazil and entered the community without informing the village council.
She said that following their arrival, the couple hosted a birthday party which many villagers attended and it was only after this event that the village council was made aware of the couple’s presence. The couple was tested for COVID-19 and the results returned positive.
Regarding the third positive COVID-19 case, Casimero said that a resident of the community recently travelled to Georgetown and upon returning, reported that he was feeling unwell. He was tested and was also confirmed to be infected with the virus.
According to information she has received, Casimero informed, the couple is asymptomatic while the third person has been experiencing symptoms of the virus.
As a result of these recent infections, the village council has since taken the decision to suspend all travel to and from the community.
The lockdown, which began last week, will last for two weeks.
Casimero noted that over 20 persons who were in contact with the three positive cases, were tested and the lockdown may be extended depending on the results returned.
She related that the SRDC is very concerned about the situation because of a more transmissible COVID-19 variant circulating in Brazil and there is no way locally, to determine whether the couple is infected with this variant.
Moreover, the SRDC was recently informed that illegal cross-border travelling has increased in the South Rupununi.
