THE deadly novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease has claimed the life of 49-year-old Sydney “Jacket” Trellis, making him the seventh Guyanese (locally) to succumb to the dreaded disease.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that Trellis, a resident of Wismar Housing Scheme, Linden, died on Saturday evening, while receiving treatment in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Trellis, who was visually impaired, became the first person from Linden to test positive for the COVID-19 disease.
Linden has since recorded another case of the disease, but the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) authorities have taken steps to contain the spread of the disease.
Medical Superintendent of the Linden Hospital Complex, Dr. Joseph London, had said that Region 10 continues to have an aggressive approach to the disease, stressing that all required protocols and actions are being taken as they seek to protect and safeguard residents within the region.

“We are monitoring, we are evaluating, and we are keeping a close eye out as we recognise
that we need to remain proactive so as to ensure that all remain safe within Region 10. We are appealing to all to remain at home as it is the safest way to protect one’s self while we would like all to know that, from a health position, we are continuing to work to ensure that we safeguard the region as best as we can,” said Dr. Joseph in a past report.

Dr London declared that persons should pay heed to the advisory from the regional health
authorities and, more so, the Ministry of Public Health warning that COVI-19 is not a joke and should not be treated as a light or unimportant matter.

He said that should people increase the urgency and vigilance towards the disease, it would aid in curbing the increase, adding that the lives they save may just be theirs.
Locally, health authorities have tested 322 persons so far for COVID-19, and the results showed that 257 persons were negative and 65 were positive. Nine of the infected persons have so far recovered. As a containment measure, health authorities have placed 49 persons in institutional isolation and 21 persons in quarantine.

Guyana Chronicle had reported that the COVID-19 disease has proven to be a “real killer,” especially in cases involving persons who have co-morbidities. This was according to doctors of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

At that time, Guyana had recorded six deaths due to the COVID-19 disease and while the loss of life is never pleasant, doctors had said most of the persons who died, had co-morbidities.

In medicine, comorbidity is defined as the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition; in the countable sense of the term, a co-mobidity is each additional condition.

“Most of the people who passed, have [sic] co-morbidities…some had diabetes, hypertension, asthma and one of them even had severe pneumonia, which, without COVID, can also cause death….These, coupled with the complications related to COVID-19 can be dangerous,” said Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at GPHC, Dr. Genellys Camps, during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

Among the persons who lost their lives to the deadly disease was local Drag Racer, Deryck Jaisingh, called ‘Mad Dog.’ It was reported that Jaisingh was also being treated for malaria and reports are that he was diabetic. Guyana’s first COVID-19 victim, 52-year-old Ratna Baboolall was also hypertensive and a diabetic. Jermaine Ifill, an emergency medical technician (EMT), who had also succumbed to the dreaded COVID-19 disease, was also being treated for pneumonia.

Two other persons who died from the disease were OSA Collins, a 78-year-old resident of New Amsterdam and 77-year-old Colonel, John Percy Leon Lewis.

The World Health Organization (WHO) had said that 81 per cent of persons who contract COVID-19, will have mild symptoms while 14 per cent will have severe symptoms and five per cent will need intensive care.