…as Guyana records four new cases; 43 persons now in institutional quarantine
-systems to be established to reduce risk of infection for immuno-compromised patients
By Navendra Seoraj
ANOTHER person has succumbed because of complications caused by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), which has so far infected four more persons in Guyana, taking the total number of infected persons to 12.
In an update provided by the Ministry of Public Health, on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr Karen Boyle, said figures moved from 8 to 12 confirmed cases, with one probable case.
She said an additional death has also been recorded. The individual is said to be an emergency medical technician who was one of two persons hospitalised in the Coronavirus Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Guyana had confirmed its first imported case of COVID-19 in Georgetown on Wednesday, March 11, 2020.
That patient, a 52-year-old Guyanese woman who had travelled from the United States of America to Guyana on March 5, 2020, was presented to the public health system on March 10. She died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on March 11. Since then, four of the woman’s relatives and seven others have tested positive for the virus.
The cases were from three regions, with Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) having ten cases and one probable case; and Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) having one each.
Dr Boyle said that of the total number of confirmed cases, four cases have been imported while eight are locally-transmitted cases.
The DCMO said the ministry has so far tested 52 persons and the results revealed that 12 were positive, 38 were negative and one case was inconclusive.
Director of Disease Control, Dr. Nadia Liu, had explained that an inconclusive case means that the person tested neither negative nor positive. It, however, means that the person can go on to manifest signs and symptoms of the virus and then test positive.
In such cases, health officials will continue to monitor the patient(s). Dr. Boyle said 43 persons are now in institutional quarantine, and of the 11 persons in isolation, one remains hospitalised in the COVID-19 ICU. Over 100 persons are currently being monitored for COVID-19 and this includes persons under institutional quarantine, home quarantine and institutional isolation.
Dr. Boyle had said some persons, who are quarantined, will be finishing the14-day monitoring period, but as persons come off quarantine, persons are going in based on the ministry’s hotline. And calls to the COVID-19 hotline have so far moved from 998 calls to 1,065; these calls were received from seven of the ten administrative regions.
According to Dr. Boyle, hotline reports from persons, who were in contact with infected persons, are coming from communities along the coastland, including Enmore and Good Hope on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) to Prashad Nagar, Straboek and South Ruimveldt in Georgetown. There have also been calls from Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara (ECD) and Vreed-en-Hoop on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD).
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact globally. As of March 31, the number of confirmed cases in 210 countries and territories stood at 693,224 with the number of deaths at 33,106.
In the region of the Americas, the total number of confirmed cases has increased from 120,798 to 142,081. The number of deaths in this region has also moved from 1,973 to 2,457.
While Guyana has not been hit as hard as some of the other countries in the Americas, the public health ministry, using the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO)’s model, determined that the number of projected cases for Guyana stands at 1,400.
“Of that number we will be preparing for 100 persons requiring ICU attention, 300 isolation beds and building capacity for 730 beds for institutional quarantine,” said Dr. Boyle.
Considering the projected cases, the public health ministry, in an effort to contain and reduce the spread of COVID-19, will be strengthening community and hospital surveillance, as well as strengthening the capacity of the ministry’s rapid response surveillance team.
Resident PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. Williams Adu-Krow, in speaking about projections, had said, while some institutions have advised countries to plan for 40-80 per cent of its population being infected, the true figure depends on that country’s response.
“Despite what these analysts are saying, the number we will truly get is dependent on our response, if it is bad we will have more cases and if it is good we will have less cases,” said Dr. Adu-Krow.
IMMUNO-COMPROMISED
As part of strengthening the systems in place and reducing the spread of the virus, Dr. Boyle said alternative arrangements will be created for patients, who are immuno-compromised, to collect their medication without putting themselves at further risk. These patients include persons who have Cancer, HIV, Tuberculosis, Sickle Cell and so forth. They were also advised to take extra precautions in order to safeguard themselves.
Despite the current situation, health officials said persons are not taking the virus seriously but they hope that good sense will prevail.
On Saturday, President David Granger said a “cavalier approach” in the face of COVID-19 pandemic could ‘seriously’ impair government’s efforts to combat the virus, especially now that the cases have moved from five to eight persons.
Such an approach from the public could result in consequences which will be devastating for the entire population, said the president.
“Guyanese, I urge you to continue to support all medical professionals: doctors, nurses, and other caregivers. I urge you also to practise social distancing in public places and to avoid crowds, ceremonies including funerals and large gatherings,” said President Granger.
He also advised persons to remain calm and implement all guidelines relating to personal hygiene and infection prevention and control.
Based on consultations, President Granger had issued directions under the Public Health Ordinance (Cap.145) and international standard to prevent and control the spread of this disease.
Speaking about those instructions, the President said: “I authorised the Minister of Public Health to take all measures considered necessary to restrain, segregate and isolate persons suffering from the disease and, or who may be likely to be suffering from the disease.”
He believes that the public ‘must’ adhere to infection prevention and control measures, as personal conduct is the single most important element in preventing the spread of this deadly disease.
WHO said most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older persons and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.
WHO believes that the best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well-informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads.
“Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently and not touching your face. The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important that you also practise respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow),” WHO advised.
