– with two new cases recorded

GUYANA now has 68 active cases of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), as two more persons have now tested positive for the disease within the past 24 hours.
According to the latest statistics from local health authorities, the new cases were found after some 10 persons were tested between Monday and Tuesday. To date, 1,499 persons have been tested for COVID-19, with 1,360 of those persons testing negative for the disease and 139 testing positive.

Of the total infected persons, 11 persons have lost their lives; 62 persons have recovered; 66 persons are in institutional isolation and two persons are battling for their lives in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

It was reported that health authorities continue to work towards strengthening the healthcare system to respond to COVID-19 on a long-term basis. The potential and existing activities are part of the plan to have a comprehensive COVID-19 health network, whereby patients across the country’s 10 administrative regions will be able to access these services.

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 Demerara (ECD) where cases have been recorded are: Atlantic Gardens, Friendship, Golden Grove, Good Hope, Lusignan, Plaisance, and Strathspey. Among communities on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) where there were cases are: Diamond, Grove, Land of Canaan, Providence, and Timehri.
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, in her update on Monday, placed emphasis on the growing number of cases in hinterland regions, saying that to date three of them have recorded positive cases.

“I wish to draw your attention particularly to Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) where seven positive cases have been identified, most of these cases coming from the mining community,” she said, adding: “We are concerned, particularly because other mining communities can be affected, since our miners can transport this disease from the coastland into the interior. We recognise that our efforts in limiting the spread of this disease are dependent on this community coming fully onboard with the regional health authorities, as well as all other entities who have joined in fighting this disease.”

Those hinterland regions are following closely behind Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), but health authorities have since sent mobile testing units to this region.
Residents of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), have also been advised to be watchful and careful, as Brazil has now become the country with the third highest number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the world, after registering more than 390,000 cases.
The disease remains a serious issue, not just here in Guyana, but globally as well. And, according to global statistics, there are over 5.3 million cases of COVID-19, with over 342,000 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 preventive measures to contain the spread of the disease.