-Cummings Lodge, Sophia, Alberttown, South Ruimveldt among communities with cases
…confirmed cases climb to 78, three other persons recovered

GUYANA has recorded three new cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 78.

As the number of cases continue to climb, Central Georgetown remains the epicenter, with positive cases coming from Kitty, Alberttown, Cummingsburg, Bourda, South Ruimveldt, and Lamaha Park. Cases were also recorded at Sophia, Turkeyen, Liliendaal, Cummings Lodge and Thirst Park.

“Fellow Guyanese, you would note from the areas listed that the Coronavirus Disease is in several of the densely populated areas in our city.

“We need to stop and take stock of this situation; you must adhere to the guidelines provided or we will be in a situation that we cannot control (repeat). Many of you have read the article of the Spanish Flu and how Guyana suffered during that period. And certainly, we do not want a repeat of this,” said Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, during a virtual update on the COVID-19 pandemic, on Wednesday.

As the infection rate continues to climb, there still seems to be a glimmer of hope in the fight against the deadly disease, as three more persons recovered and were medically cleared by health authorities, on Wednesday.

So far, 18 persons have won the battle against the deadly disease, but the country has also lost eight precious lives. And, three persons continue to battle for their lives in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), said Minister Lawrence.
As it is now, 52 persons remain in institutional isolation, while some 18 persons are in institutional quarantine.

Health authorities have so far tested 519 persons, with 441 of those persons testing negative for the disease. Of the number of confirmed cases, health authorities had said men account for the majority.

Globally, there are over 2.9 million cases of COVID-19, with over 200,000 deaths. And with no approved treatment or cure, there is no assurance that persons will survive after contracting the disease. In the absence of approved medications, governments and authorities across the world have employed a number of preventative measures to contain the spread of the disease.

In an effort to improve the response to the pandemic, the Public Health Ministry has launched its mobile unit at the East La Penitence Health Centre, as well as at the community COVID-19 facilities of Region#4 at Herstelling, on the East Bank Demerara, and at Paradise, on the East Coast Demerara.

Additionally, the government has extended its emergency measures to combat the dreaded disease, with the imposition of a 12-hour curfew on citizens. These emergency measures were taken pursuant to Paragraphs (1) and (2) (b) of the directive issued by the President, in accordance with the Public Health Ordinance, Cap. 145, and published in the Official Gazette, Legal Supplement B, on March 16, 2020.

As the country wages war against the deadly disease, President David Granger is on record as saying that the efforts of the country’s frontline workers, in particular those within the medical field, should not go unnoticed.

“I ask you… to think tenderly of our public health professionals and service providers; that is to say, our doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and all other supporting staff, medical and non-medical, who are providing the required care for those in distress,” President Granger said, adding: “Public health practitioners are on the frontline of protecting those stricken by the disease; they have been working tirelessly, through this very difficult situation, to provide quality healthcare to those who have been infected and afflicted. Everyone in the public health system has played a vital part in the fight against this disease.”

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the newly-discovered coronavirus.

The WHO said most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illnesses and recover without requiring special treatment. Older persons and those with underlying medical problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer, are more likely to develop serious illness.
The WHO believes that the best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well-informed about the virus, the disease it causes and how it is spread.

“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),” the WHO has advised.