The Ministry of Health on Friday confirmed the deaths of two more persons who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), taking the total number of deaths recorded here from the virus to 335.
The latest fatalities were identified as two men – a 69-year-old from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and a 70-year-old Region 4 (Demerara-Mahaica) – who died while receiving state care.
In addition to the deaths, the ministry yesterday also confirmed 143 new cases from 1,364 tests that were done as of Thursday.
The ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard confirmed that the majority of the new cases were recorded in Region Four (55), with Region Nine (35) and Region Three (30) also posting a significant number of new infections.
It also confirmed that there were 1,819 active cases, with 1692 infected persons in home isolation, 113 persons in institutional isolation 14 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit.
During his COVID-19 update on Friday, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony identified a number of communities across the various regions that are COVID-19 hotspots. Region Four remains the region with the highest number of active cases and Anthony said among the areas identified as hotspots within the region are Diamond, Grove and Herstelling on the East Bank of Demerara, Sophia, Kitty and La Penitence in Georgetown, and Mon Repos and Nonpareil on the East Coast of Demerara.
In Region Three, he said Tuschen, La Parfaite Harmonie, Vreed-en-Hoop and Canal No.2 are the hotspots.
Anthony pointed out that Region Six has seen a spike in the number of cases, with the majority being recorded in New Amsterdam and Skeldon.
Bartica also remains a hotspot, he said.
Anthony further noted that Regions 9 and 10 are also areas of concern.
Anthony said if persons continue to fail to abide by the necessary safety guidelines, the spread of the COVID-19 vrius will continue. “…If people are not abiding by the simple rules that we have put out and that is to wear face mask, keep distancing and so forth, we are going to have spread,” he said.
