– 130 new cases recorded

THE local COVID-19 death toll is now 323 after three deaths were recorded on Saturday and six other deaths were confirmed during the period April 25, 2021 to May 6, 2021, according to the Ministry of Health.

On Saturday morning, the Health Ministry reported three fatalities: a 68-year-old woman from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); and two men, a 34-year-old from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and another 52-year-old from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

Subsequently, the Health Ministry announced that there are six additional COVID-19 deaths, which were not reported before since they were not confirmed. It was explained that the gold standard test for COVID-19, the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, was conducted on these individuals.

“The patients were admitted with COVID-19-like symptoms but died while receiving care at our medical institutions. Samples were taken at the time of admission which subsequently returned positive tests,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.

These six deaths were: a 79-year-old woman from Region Four, a 54-year-old woman from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), a 56-year-old man from Region Four, a 57-year-old man and a 43-year-old man from Region Six, and a 79-year-old man from Region Four.

These new deaths mean that 22 people died in May already and that the death toll for April is 66.

Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 cases recorded locally has increased to 14,203, since an additional 130 people became infected with the coronavirus. These new infections were recorded from 509 tests.

These cases were recorded in Region Three (14 cases), Region Four (72 cases), Region Five (seven cases), Region Six (10 cases), Region Seven (eight cases), Region Nine (one case) and Region 10 (18 cases).

There are also 1,791 active cases. In the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), there are 17 case; there are 100 people in institutional isolation, 1,691 in home isolation and 17 people in institutional quarantine.

All Guyanese are urged to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home, the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone you know is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 hotline numbers: 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately, or visit the Ministry of Health at www.health.gov.gy.