– Health authorities advise against self-medicating

AS the fight against the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues, health authorities continue to record mixed developments, with the past 24 hours producing positive developments in the form of three successful battles against the disease and no new case.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, said that three more persons recovered from the disease and were medically cleared within the past 24 hours. Those persons joined 99 others who have already recovered from the deadly disease.

After recording 12 new cases on Tuesday, the country went 24 hours without a new case, even though authorities tested 11 persons between Tuesday and Wednesday. The total number of tests done so far, is 2,006 and of that number, 1,835 were negative and 171 were positive.

The total number of positive cases have since decreased to just 57 active cases, after 102 persons recovered and 12 persons lost their lives.

“I plead with you to make those guidelines an important part of your daily routine so that our cases do not keep increasing,” said Dr. Persaud, in a virtual COVID-19 update, on Wednesday.

This message is of critical importance to parents, teachers and other auxiliary staff, who are being advised to do their part in ensuring that students, who returned to school to prepare for exams, are safe.

“Covid-19 is serious business and just a mere glimpse of the trend in our Region and beyond provides you with the dismal picture.

“Please remember that there is no cure for COVID-19, so self-medicating is not an option if you have symptoms of the disease. We ask that you seek medical attention by contacting the nearest health facility so that the essential care and treatment can be provided,” Dr. Persaud advised.

Health authorities here 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 a 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) is still 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, while among those on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) are: Diamond, Grove, Land of Canaan, Providence, and Timehri.

Health authorities are also placing emphasis on the four hinterland regions, especially now that three of them have recorded cases of COVID-19.

EPICENTRE OF THE AMERICAS

The need for surveillance in those regions is also important, because Guyana’s South American neighbour, Brazil, is now rated as the COVID-19 epicentre of the Americas.
“We continue to plead with the residents of Regions One, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine to remain on high alert, recognising that our neighbours, Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname, are reporting new cases,” said Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Boyle, in a recent report.
“Residents of Region Seven, with the new cases in Venezuela, and the upsurge in your region, your vulnerability is increased. We are calling on the Toshaos and other authorities to ensure that residents do not cross borders, and that persons from those other countries are not entering your community. Community members must report any migrant entering your community, and anyone who has signs and symptoms and immediately bring this to the attention of the health authorities,” Dr. Boyle advised.

Dr. Persaud, in his report on Wednesday said the public health ministry will continue to monitor mining communities, and advise miners to follow the existing guidelines.
The message is not only for the miners within the hinterland region, but for those who are at home on the coastland and have plans of returning. “Please remember that you cannot provide for your family if you are sick”, the CMO said.

As is evident, COVID-19 remains a serious issue, not just here in Guyana, but globally as well; and, according to global statistics, there are 7.9 million cases of COVID-19, with over 434,000 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.