A total of 36 persons with COVID-19 died last week and all of them were unvaccinated, according to Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who yesterday questioned why more persons were not getting vaccinated in light of such statistics.
Anthony made the disclosure during yesterday’s COVID-19 update, during which he also disclosed that up that point there were 129 persons hospitalised with COVID-19 across the country.
In disclosing that there were four more deaths at the Liliendaal Infectious Disease Hospital, Anthony pointed to the 36 unvaccinated persons who died last week and he said it begs the question why persons are not getting vaccinated.
Anthony in recent weeks has reported an increase in persons who have not received vaccines contracting the virus and being hospitalized.
Head of Medical Services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Dr Mahendra Carpen highlighted the situation in a social media post that revealed that for the month of July 95% of persons who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit were unvaccinated, while 2% were partially inoculated and 3% fully vaccinated. One of the graphics that he posted also revealed that 94% of the fatalities that occurred in the ICU were patients who were unvaccinated while 3% had been partially vaccinated and the other 3% had been fully vaccinated.
For the month of August, Carpen shared that 81% of ICU deaths had been persons who were unvaccinated while 16% accounted for partially inoculated persons and the remaining 3% had been fully vaccinated. In relation to the ICU admissions for August, he reported 81% of those persons admitted were unvaccinated while 14% were partially vaccinated and 5% fully vaccinated. No supporting numbers were provided.
Meanwhile, Anthony yesterday disclosed that 129 persons were hospitalised across the country, including 11 of those persons at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, seven at the Mahaicony Hospital, five persons at the New Amsterdam Hospital, three persons at the Bartica Hospital and two at the Wismar Hospital. Of this set of patients, 18 are currently on oxygen, the minister reported.
Additionally, the health minister said, “We currently have nine maternal cases at the GPHC – those are in the COVID section of the obstetrics ward at the GPHC – we also have 92 persons at the Ocean View Hospital and of those 92 we have an additional 6 maternal cases. 29 persons are currently in the ICU.”
Further, when asked about issues with adequate staffing at the Liliendaal facility, Anthony noted that as far as he is aware there is adequate staffing, inclusive of doctors, nursing staff and other required medical personnel.
The family of one of the recent fatalities last week said the patient had reported to them that the hospital appeared to be understaffed.
