THE dreaded novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has claimed the lives of three persons within the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 51.
This publication was reliably informed that the victims were 32-year-old, Paul Lowe of Providence; a 66-year-old male from Mahaica; and a 65-year-old man, also from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
While information on the elderly victims was not available, Guyana Chronicle understands that Lowe was a diabetic and developed complications while in institutional isolation for COVID-19.
This publication was reliably informed that doctors did everything possible to save Lowe, but he succumbed on Thursday.
The Ministry of Health expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and promised to make every effort to provide all the necessary support, during this difficult time.
Officials of the ministry have already contacted all relatives and persons to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who might have been exposed to the victims.
Guyana has so far recorded 1,750 cases of COVID-19 with 51 of those cases being recorded in the past 24 hours. But 1,088 of those persons have since recovered while 48 persons have lost their lives. Of the remaining cases, 50 persons are in institutional isolation and 547 are in home isolation, while 14 persons are being treated in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
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.
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.
The emergence of asymptomatic cases had prompted authorities to distribute more sample kits across the country, especially to regions where the infection rate is high. Most of the cases have so far been recorded in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
“We are sending out more kits, so there will be an increase in sample collection… the testing itself has components… one is sample collection and then there is the processing of samples,” Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony said.
To this end, sample-taking sites have been established across the country, especially in ‘hotspot’ areas.