WITH three COVID-19 cases now recorded in Linden, Region 10, its Regional Health and Emergency Committee (RHEC) Chairman, Orrin Gordon, is pleading with residents to adhere to the Emergency Measures instituted by the Government to suppress the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease here in Guyana.

The cases were recorded within a period of three weeks on April 8, 14 and 24. One person – Sydney ‘Jacket’ Trellis – has since died.
In an address to the people of Region 10, shortly after the third case was confirmed, Gordon said that it was not the time to let up, stressing that they must remain vigilant and aggressive in protecting themselves, families, friends and loved ones.
“We can’t let up, our responsibilities as persons who are involved in this fight mean that we can’t let up as we are at a very critical and crucial juncture and any letting up now could create a false sense of security which, as we have seen across the world, is not a chance to be taken with this pandemic,” Gordon said.

The RHEC Chairman, who also serves as the Regional Executive Officer (REO), said that the aggressive, effective and efficient approach by healthcare professionals and other stakeholders working on COVID-19 within the region is significantly helping in the fight against the pandemic. This, he said, was evident in the region being able to track a positive case through contact tracing efforts. He reminded residents that COVID-19 is deadly, and, as such, they must continue to be alert and adhere to all of the Emergency Measures.

Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Pansy Armstrong, praised the efforts of the nurses tasked with conducting contact tracing within the region. She said that remaining vigilant and effective will only yield more results through contact tracing. “Contact tracing is the key in helping to flatten the curve in identifying cases early…I want to continue appealing to the general public to adhere to all the instructions that the Ministry of Public Health is putting to them, which include stay home, washing of hands, practise social distancing, as all of that will help in flattening the curve. The REO has been making appeals over and over and I join with him again in reiterating those appeals to the public,” the RHO iterated.