Guyana has seen an increase in COVID-19 infections and hospitalisations over the past week, according to Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony.
During a COVID-19 update on Thursday, Anthony said authorities have observed a steady increase in cases and voiced his belief that persons have become a bit complacent in observing the emergency measures.
“So if there is any indicator that we need to become more vigilant again, I think this is it because apart from seeing more cases, we have also seen more hospitalisation,” Anthony said, while noting that there were over 100 persons hospitalised across the country.
He added that there were 76 persons at the country’s infectious disease facility at Liliendaal, while the others were in different regional hospitals.
As it relates to the increase in cases, Anthony noted that the ministry is currently monitoring the Tuschen area in Region Three, which had some 23 cases. He stated it was also monitoring Diamond, which had 39 cases, Grove, with 31 cases, and Timehri with 27 cases all along the East Bank.
In Georgetown, he indicated that Sophia had 45 cases, Kitty had 35 cases, South Ruimveldt had 32 cases and Cummings Lodge had 28 cases.
“If people take more precautions, we would have less cases coming into the hospital and if people get vaccinated we will see less people coming in with the more severe form of the disease,” Anthony said.
Although the more contagious Delta variant of the virus has been credited with a rise in infections and hospitalisations in many countries around the world, Guyana is yet to officially confirm its presence here. The United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the variant is more than twice as contagious as previous variants and that data suggest it might cause more severe illness than previous variants in unvaccinated people.
Last Wednesday, Trinidadian health authorities said that one case of the Delta variant recorded was someone who travelled from Guyana. “We will investigate it, but as I’ve said before we’re working on the clinical assumption that we have the various variants here, the treatment and the things that you have to do would not change,” Anthony said when asked about the development.
Guyana has only sent samples once to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to test for variants.
Anthony said the ministry will continue to try to get samples to CARPHA for testing, which one reporter noted has been the minister’s tune for quite some time as he inquired whether there were any other issues stopping the local health authorities from sending samples. Anthony then said that there is no issue with payment or any other issue stopping them from sending samples.
