A government official from the Ministry of the Public Service who was tested positive for COVID-19, was detained and placed into institutional isolation by members of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) after breaching the home-isolation guidelines.

The Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed that members of the public reported seeing the official shopping, though the official was supposed to be isolated at home for a period of 10 days. Responding to the reports made, members of the Ministry of Health and the Guyana Police Force, who form part of the NCTF, visited the official’s residence and detained the person.

This newspaper understands that the official was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where the person will remain until their 10-day isolation ends on Sunday. It was also reported to this newspaper that a relative of the official was taken to the isolation facility as well. That relative will be placed in quarantine, not isolation.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said that the COVID-19 curfew and other measures were being enforced against anyone, and promised that alleged unfair enforcement would be investigated.

“No one is exempt and therefore none is above the law,” said the Prime Minister, who is also the Head of the COVID-19 Task Force.

As per the existing COVID-19 guidelines, each person who tests positive for the novel coronavirus is expected to isolate at home for a period of 10 days. More severely infected persons are treated at various health facilities.