– Currently under institutional quarantine

FOUR Venezuelan migrants were detained after attempting to breach home quarantine protocols and travel to another region in Guyana.

This was confirmed by Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence on Tuesday. “They disregarded the home quarantine guidelines, and were en route to Mahdia and Lethem. They were intercepted and placed in institutional quarantine, thanks to the teamwork of the HEOC and the Guyana Police Force,” the minister stated. The migrants were initially placed under home quarantine after there were some concerns about their displaying COVID-19 symptoms.

Persons in institutional quarantine are required to remain there for 14 days, during or after which a test for the virus is conducted. Once the person tests positive, they are then transferred to an isolation facility, where treatment is administered. If the test is negative, a medical evaluation is carried out by a doctor, before clearance is given for the person to be released from institutional quarantine.

The Public Health Ministry has zero-tolerance for persons not complying with quarantine protocols and guidelines. Non-compliance presents a risk to the wider population. Minister Lawrence reiterated,  “Persons on home quarantine need to adhere to guidelines when asked, for their sake and others. Let me remind everyone of our responsibility to comply with the regulations and guidelines provided by the Ministry of Public Health to halt the spread of this pernicious disease among us.”

Just recently, Guyanese who were brought back home on a flight from Barbados agreed to undergo 14 days of quarantine before going home to their families. Twenty-one of those persons were eventually cleared, after their tests proved negative, and they showed no signs or symptoms of COVID-19. (DPI)