-30 new cases recorded

TWO more elderly Guyanese have lost their lives to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) while 30 new cases took the total number of positive cases past the 4,500 mark, according to the Ministry of Health.

The deaths have been recorded of a 77-year-old man, identified as Theodore Pulmegar and Lyra Fyfer, a 77-year-old woman. The Guyana Chronicle understands that the man hails from Linden; he died on Sunday – one day after being admitted in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The Guyana Chronicle has been reliably informed that both patients had several underlying medical conditions. These recent deaths take Guyana’s COVID-19 death toll to 136 and the tenth, so far, for this month.

Meanwhile, the 30 new cases were distributed in Region One (five cases), Region Three (one case), Region Four (15 cases), Region Seven (four cases), Region Eight (four cases), and Region Ten (one case).

Of the total 4,514 cases, 3,526 persons have recovered. This means that approximately 78 per cent of the cases have recovered thus far. Since March, 22,092 tests have been conducted across the 10 regions of Guyana.

There are 11 persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 49 persons in institutional quarantine, 63 persons in institutional isolation and 778 in home isolation.

The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures (No. Eight) will expire on November 30, 2020, unless earlier terminated, extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions of the pandemic.

As per these measures, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes. Physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are also important. The curfew is now 22:30 hours to 04:00 hours.

Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers: 231-1166; 226-7480; or 180/181 for assistance.