THE novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has claimed yet another life in Guyana, taking the death toll to 95.
Authorities identified the victim as being a 61-year-old female from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). She died while receiving treatment at a local medical facility on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Health expressed condolences to the family of the deceased, and pledged to make every effort to provide all the necessary support during this difficult time.
Officials of the ministry have since contacted all relatives and persons to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who might have been exposed to the victim.
Meanwhile, some 45 persons have recovered from COVID-19 and were medically cleared within the past 24 hours. The number of recoveries moved from 1,972 on Monday to 2,017 on Tuesday.

Health authorities have so far tested 15,265 persons, with 12,077 proving negative, and 3,188 positive.
While 2,017 persons have recovered from this disease, 95 persons have died and there are 1,125 active cases which include 135 persons in institutional isolation, 975 in home isolation, and 15 in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Considering these numbers, persons were encouraged to take extra precaution because there is no approved cure or specific treatment for the disease. Guyanese were also reminded to observe the protocols established in the COVID-19 emergency measures.
Authorities have said that cases are being detected because more tests are being done. Sample- taking was also increased across the country because the authorities believed that many cases were going “under the radar”.

This suspicion had prompted the 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,” said Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, in a recent report.
Dr. Anthony had stated that “the actual testing will be done centrally at the National Reference Laboratory, because regional facilities lack the capacity and technical skills needed to get it done. While the government hopes to improve capacity in those regions, the immediate need for sample-testing takes precedence, especially with the high number of asymptomatic cases.”

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 the 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.