…increases from 12 reported cases, deaths remain at 2

…Region Four record increases from 10 to 17

…36 persons in institutional quarantine

…Health Minister applauds efforts of health workers

Guyana has recorded 7 additional cases of the Coronavirus, carrying the total recorded rate of the disease here to 19.

This was noted by Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence on Wednesday in a daily update provided by the Ministry  of Public Health (MOPH).

She said that the number of deaths remain at 2. Regionally, there has been 1 recorded case in Region Three, 17 in Region Four with one inconclusive and 1 in Region Six.

In addition, she said the total number of persons tested climbed to 52 from 70, with 19 positives, 50 negatives and 1 inconclusive. She said there are now 36 persons in institutional quarantine.

Of the 11 person in isolation,1 person is isolated in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).She said too that there are 119 persons on home quarantine.

As regards containing and mitigating the spread of the virus, Lawrence said the MOPH continues to strengthening community and hospital surveillance as well as the Rapid Response Surveillance team.

Regionally, she said that in the Barima/Waini region, the Mabaruma Regional Hospital has developed an external triage area for patients and a separate isolation area for patients has been identified with capacity for 8 to 10 persons and quarantine capacity for 2 persons.Hand-washing stations are at the entrance of the hospital and the cleaning staff ha already started sanitisation of floors and surfaces.

Meanwhile, Minister Lawrence applauded the efforts of health workers across the country, noting that they are the first line of defence in the fight against the spread of the virus.”Without them , you will agree our defence line becomes non-existent and ll our efforts at combating this infectious diseasewill be futile.”

She said the MOPH is appreciative of their daily sacrifices to keep Guyanese safe. She made an appeal to all those persons bent on stigamising health workers to immediately put an end to such practices.”I this moment of crisis we need to work in concert and fight this war together,” she said noting that the country’s health workforce requires the overwhelming support of Guyanese.