A NINETY-ONE-YEAR-OLD female resident of the Palms Geriatric Home has defied the dreaded effects of the novel of coronavirus (COVID-19), and along with three other colleagues, was medically cleared by health authorities, on Wednesday.

The quartet – Rosaline Hamilton, 91; Kaysonauth Sager, 76; Meyrle Thomas, 87; and Carmen Hopkinson 78 – have fully recovered, but will be transferred to the home’s infirmary for two days before being relocated to the general ward, said the Ministries of Social Protection and Public Health in a joint press statement, on Wednesday.

There are, however, three infected patients, who are being monitored by the Palms’ medical team and will be retested on Monday, June 29, 2020.

Just last week, the Palms celebrated the recovery of three patients: Zorie De Mattos, 105; Sheila Gill, 78 and Fazil Mohamed 64.

“The teamwork and commitment demonstrated by the Ward Six team is recognised as they continue to provide exceptional care to the seniors,” said the ministries.

From the inception, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had said that older persons, and those with underlying medical problems, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer, are more likely to develop the serious forms of COVID-19.

Testimony of this reality was the death of two male residents of the Palms; Osa Collins, a 78-year-old resident of New Amsterdam; 77-year-old Colonel John Percy Leon Lewis; and 67-year-old Samuel Morris, who was diabetic.

It is, however, evident that elderly persons can overcome the disease. The remaining seven infected residents of the Palms are being monitored in accordance with strict control measures implemented by the local health authorities.

“All positive cases are quarantined in a separate ward. The first case at the Palms was recorded on May 5, and due to rigorous screening of residents and staff, there has been no new cases since May 23,” said the Public Health Ministry.

The geriatric home, which falls under the purview of the Social Protection Ministry, provides 24-hour nursing care for elderly residents. Persons over the age of 65 years account for just about 6.4 per cent of the local population. And, with ‘The Palms’ being a facility which houses about 190 persons, who form part of this section of the population, there was cause for concern.

Director of Social Services, Wentworth Tanner, had told this publication that containment measures such as screening and isolation are necessary, especially since it was established that there are asymptomatic persons who may not show symptoms of the disease, but could spread it to others, who, in some cases, might be more at risk to severe forms of the disease.

“As most people know,” Tanner said, “not everyone would show symptoms, so even screening can go so far and only so much they can achieve… That poses a challenge, but we are still screening persons who leave the facility and are returning.”

All visits to ‘The Palms’ have been suspended since March 30, and since then, persons, particularly staff of the facility, have been screened twice daily.

Tanner assured the Guyana Chronicle that the Ministry of Social Protection has been doing everything possible to reduce the spread of the disease at ‘The Palms’, and at other such facilities, to the extent that the ministry has also been partnering with local health authorities from the Ministry of Public Health.