Several East Coast villages listed as COVID-19 ‘hotspots’
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud

…among them Atlantic Gardens, Lusignan, Providence, Plaisance
…confirmed cases climb to 94

AFTER going two days without recording a new case of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), local health authorities have recorded one new case in the past 24 hours, taking the total of confirmed cases to 94.
There has been a consistent increase in the number of cases over the past month, but there has been some signs of positivity, including the fact that 49 persons were tested in the past 24 hours, but only one person tested positive.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud said health authorities have so far tested 785 persons, 692 of whom were negative. Of the positive cases, some 35 persons have recovered and were medically cleared by health authorities. A breakdown of the remaining confirmed cases show that 5.4 per cent are children, 82 per cent are adults and 12.6 per cent are elderly.
The fact also remains that Guyana has lost 10 precious lives to the deadly COVID-19 disease, and three persons are battling for their lives in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Additionally, 49 persons remain in isolation, and three in quarantine.
“To date, our COVID-19 ICU has had 26 patients with seven deaths being registered. And, 13 persons have been transferred, and three have recovered,” said Dr. Persaud in an update on Friday.

KNOWN HOTSPOTS

As the battle against COVID-19 continues, Dr. Persaud reminded persons that Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) remains the epicentre of the disease, and there are a number of communities, outside of Georgetown, which have recorded cases.

Among communities on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) where cases were recorded are: Atlantic Gardens; Friendship; Golden Grove; Good Hope; Lusignan; Plaisance; and Strathsphey. Among communities on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) where there were cases are: Diamond; Grove; Land of Canaan; Providence; and Timehri.
Just recently, in an effort to improve the response to the pandemic, the Public Health Ministry had launched its mobile unit at the East La Penitence Health Centre, as well as at the community COVID-19 facilities of Region Four at Herstelling, on the EBD, and at Paradise, on the ECD.

Globally, there are over 3.6 million cases of COVID-19, with over 254,000 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.
Right in neighbouring Brazil, the number of cases is escalating. And, according to Dr. Persaud, Brazil has confirmed another 6,925 new cases, bringing the total to 114,715, and another 600 deaths bringing the total number to 7,921.

BORDER VIGILANCE
“Fellow Guyanese, maintaining vigilance at our bordering regions with Brazil is crucial to us keeping our number of cases under control,” said the CMO.
He appealed to residents of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), who continue to traverse the border, to desist from this practice, and adhere to the control measures implemented for the protection and safety of not just them, but all Guyanese.

Dr. Persaud said the Ministry of Public Health continues to work with the residents in the bordering communities to contain the spread of the Coronavirus Disease.

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. These measures have been extended to June 3, 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.”

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