– 30 new cases, one more death recorded

THE three remaining critically ill COVID-19 patients, who were receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), were transferred to the new Infectious Disease Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, on Friday last.

During Monday’s COVID-19 update, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said the three patients were transferred after all the necessary components of the new hospital were finally in place. Critically ill patients were receiving treatment at the GPHC over the past few months in an ICU that was organised in response to the pandemic.

This infectious diseases hospital has the capacity for 29 patients, whereas the GPHC could only cater for about 15 persons.

“Severely ill patients could be comfortably managed there (at the Infectious Disease Hospital),” Dr. Anthony said. The three critically ill patients are reflected in the daily COVID-19 dashboard provided by the Ministry of Health. As per that dashboard, the death toll is currently at 151; the latest fatality is a 31-year-old woman from Linden.

There were also 30 new cases recorded from 344 tests. So far, Guyana has recorded 5,406 positive cases overall and 4,392 infected persons have recovered.

The new cases were distributed across Region Two (two cases), Region Three (four cases), Region Four (two cases), Region Six (16 cases), Region Seven (five cases) and Region 10 (one case).

There are 31 persons in institutional quarantine, 63 in institutional isolation and 797 in home isolation. The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures (No. Nine) are in force from December 1, 2020 until December 31, 2020. They may be 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 current measures however, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes. Physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are also important. The current curfew is 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.