– after several employees test positive for COVID-19

MASS testing for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) will be conducted at the Karouni mine site, operated by Troy Resources Guyana Inc, after several of the company’s employees tested positive for the dreaded disease.

The company, in a press statement, said it has ramped up its COVID-19 response measures by implementing mandatory testing for all of its employees at the site, which is located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The costs of all testing will be covered by the company, and will be done by a private service provider.
Region Seven has so far recorded over 300 cases of COVID-19, and with those persons becoming infected within the past few days, the company is expected to take added precaution, given that mining remains an “essential service.”

In the circumstances, the company said all those employees who are to be deployed to the Karouni mine site, are to be tested, and must show a negative result before being allowed to travel into the site.

These measures are expected to supplement the existing safety protocols and coronavirus precautions, which were already in place at all of the company’s mining camps.
Following the discovery of the positive cases, the National COVID-19 Task Force and representatives of the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Health were immediately informed about the recent test results, and a course of action was discussed and agreed upon.

The company said the COVID-19 Task Force has since expressed support for the additional measures and mass testing being conducted.
The company continues to follow the guidelines established by the Ministry of Health and all onsite medical personnel are managing the response.
Troy Resources has roughly 300 employees at its project site at any one time. This consists of mainly local employees who work on a shift rotation system.