THERE continues to be a consistent rise in cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), with authorities recording 13 new cases within the past 24 hours.
Guyana has so far recorded 1,763. But 1,144 of those persons have since recovered while 52 persons have lost their lives. Of the remaining cases, 46 persons are in institutional isolation and 508 are in home isolation, while 13 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 had said.
To this end, sample-taking sites have been established across the country, especially in ‘hotspot’ areas.