A MALE resident of Bartica, Region Seven, (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) has tested positive for the coronavirus. The man is said to be in his 30s, and is the first patient who hails from the mining town.

On Wednesday, Regional Health Officer Dr. Edward Sagala issued a statement stating that the man was showing symptoms of the virus, and he was immediately transferred to an isolation facility in Georgetown for further care.

The patient recently travelled to Oku in the Mazaruni mining district, and 10 persons who were in contact with the patient were also tested last Thursday. The results are expected by the end of this week.

“We continue to remind the Bartica community again that COVID-19 is a real danger and have not disappeared, and will not do so soon. This disease spreads like wildfire and it kills. As such, we remind everyone to continue to seriously observe ALL the advisories, including hand-washing, wearing of masks, social distancing and observing the curfew,” Dr Sagala said in his statement.

Visiting of patients at the Bartica Hospital is currently prohibited, and persons are advised to avoid visiting the hospital unless it is an emergency.

The National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) stated on Monday, that after an alarming increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Regions One and Seven, they will be implementing stricter measures in those regions to tackle the spread of the disease.

Adding a further comment on the issue, Mayor of the township Gifford Marshall, said that all residents, miners in particular, need to exercise all precautionary measures because they are very concerned with what is happening in the Middle Mazaruni.

He said too that foreign nationals who are coming into the region to work, and those employing them, need to ensure that they are tested, and practise the safety measures.
“We are in a peculiar position, given that our border countries can have easy access to our region, and that poses a serious challenge. We are urging that all foreign nationals who are traversing and are employed in the region, to get tested. We are also asking persons who have employed nationals coming in the region, to protect themselves. It is a crucial time and we have to ensure that we safeguard our entire township,” Marshall said.

Highlighting further, that at every legal entry point to the town, there is a screening unit. As such, he is urging all transportation service providers to cooperate with the municipality and support the use of these entry points, to comply with regulations. Dodging the entry points, he said, is not good for the community.

Marshall noted that all the measures that were initiated by the council are still ongoing.
“Now we have billboards up to sensitise our people, we use social media and radio to communicate with our residents. We have the waiver on the market vendors still ongoing. We are trying our best to do our part in keeping the people here safe. We have not taken the decision to close down the township, but the NCTF has a plan for mining communities that will be implemented, we hope to hear from them soon. Those should be enough to curtail the spread of the virus in Bartica and hinterland communities,” the mayor said
A total of 42 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Region One as of June 22, 2020, while Aranka in Region Seven reported 31 cases as of June 24, 2020.