FIVE more persons have died after contracting COVID-19, taking Guyana’s overall death toll to 674, the Ministry of Health has reported.

The latest fatalities are four females and one male: a 37-year-old woman from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supernaam); a 35-year-old woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); a 78-year-old woman from Region Five (Mahaica- Berbice); a 57-year-old woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); and a 60-year-old man from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); they all died on September 10, 2021.

According to the ministry, those persons died while receiving treatment at a Ministry of Health facility.

Additionally, there are currently 2,969 active COVID-19 cases in Guyana, following the addition of 263 new cases on September 11, 2021, from 1,890 tests. The newly confirmed cases were recorded in all of the 10 administrative regions across Guyana.

Region Four accounted for 129 of the new cases; Regions One and 10 recorded five new cases each; Region Two, 22; Region Three, 40; Regions Five and Eight recorded seven new cases each; Region Six, 28. Region Seven recorded 35 new cases while Regions Eight and Nine recorded seven and three new cases, respectively.

Even as new cases were recorded, 103 persons were reported to have recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to date to 24,156. The country has now recorded a total of 27,782 confirmed cases since the first COVID-19 case was reported in March 2020.

Of the active cases, 32 persons are at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital, Liliendaal; 148 are in institutional isolation; 2,772 are in home isolation, and 17 are in institutional quarantine.

The updated COVID–19 Emergency Measures are in force until September 30, 2021. 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 the current measures, all persons are required to wear face masks when leaving their homes, and physical distancing and adequate sanitisation are recommended. 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.