THE novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to show its deadly form in Guyana, claiming the lives of four persons between Saturday and Sunday.
The dreaded disease first claimed the life of an 80-year-old man from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). Guyana Chronicle understands that the man, who was a patient of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), died while receiving treatment on Saturday.

The Minister of Health later reported the death of a 78-year-old female, who died while receiving treatment at the Lethem Hospital, on Sunday morning. Shortly after this report, authorities said a 53-year-old woman from the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), died while receiving treatment at GPHC.
This newspaper was also informed that another patient of the GPHC’s COVID-19 ICU, 32-year-old Alician Sinclair, died while receiving treatment on Sunday afternoon.

Authorities have since confirmed that they are in contact with the family and relatives of all the victims to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who may have been exposed.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly-discovered coronavirus. Most people, who fall sick with COVID-19, will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment.
But the COVID-19 disease has proven to be a “real killer”, especially in cases involving persons who have co-morbidities. This was according to doctors of the GPHC.

At that time, Guyana had recorded six deaths due to the COVID-19 disease and, while the loss of life is never pleasant, doctors had said most of the persons who died had co-morbidities.
In medicine, comorbidity is defined as the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition; in the countable sense of the term, comorbidity is each additional condition.

The WHO had said that 81 per cent of persons, who contract COVID-19, will have mild symptoms, while 14 per cent will have severe symptoms and five per cent will need intensive care.

Guyana has so far recorded 1,234 cases of COVID-19, but 687 of those persons have since recovered while 39 persons have lost their lives. Of the remaining cases, 87 persons are in institutional isolation and 411 are in home isolation while 13 persons are being treated in the COVID-19 ICU.
As cases continue to climb, authorities have asked persons to observe the COVID-19 emergency measures, which are still in effect. This order emphasises the need to always use a facemask correctly and consistently when leaving their homes, practice physical distancing, and observe good hygiene to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If you do have symptoms of COVID-19 or any concerns that you may need information, please contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 or visit the Ministry of Health at www.health.gov.gy.

As the country moves forward in its fight against COVID-19, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said that persons, who had initially tested positive for COVID-19, are no longer required to have a follow-up test to be medically cleared for the disease.
Dr. Anthony, during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), said: “There is no need for another test because all the guidance that we have received from PAHO/WHO has been for about a month and a half now that there is no need for a second test. We have incorporated that into our guidelines and that is what we have been using.”

He said once persons are tested positive, they will be monitored for 10 initial days. Once they are symptom-free, they will be monitored for three additional days and if they continue to be symptom-free then they will be discharged from institutional isolation facilities.