1st batch of patients shifted to COVID-19 hospital

… as 9 new cases reported; 14 in ICU

As the testing drive continues countrywide, Guyana has recorded another nine new cases of the novel coronavirus.
This was revealed by the Health Ministry’s updated COVID-19 Dashboard on Wednesday. According to the dashboard, Guyana now has a total of 1,382 confirmed cases, comprising of 683 females and 699 males. Of this number, however, only 562 cases are currently active, with a record 14 persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) located at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC).
The other 548 active cases are in isolation, that is, 71 cases in institutional isolation and the remaining 477 persons in home isolation.
Meanwhile, the number of persons in institutional quarantine is now 106.
Guyana’s COVID-19 death toll is now at 43, with the two latest deaths announced on Tuesday. In addition, some 779 persons have recovered from the life-threatening disease thus far – 37 more than the figures recorded the previous day.
To date, a total of 8,918 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus, with 96 of them being tested within the last 24 hours before Wednesday’s update.
Of the nine new cases recorded on Wednesday, three are from Region One (Barima-Waini) and another three from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), which now have 198 and 495 cases respectively.
The other cases are: one from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), which now has 229 cases, and two from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), with now has a total of 243 cases.
The other six regions remain at 14 cases in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 81 case in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); eight cases in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 16 cases in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); 23 cases in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and 74 cases in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

Meanwhile with increasing cases being recorded, the Health Ministry has now begun utilising the billion-dollar Centre for Disease Control and Prevention located at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, with the first batch of COVID-19 patients shifting there on Tuesday.
In an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Dr Anthony disclosed that six patients from the maternity section of the GPHC were transferred to the new health facility on Tuesday.
However, he noted that other sections of the $1.6 billion COVID-19 Hospital will gradually be occupied.
“Today (Wednesday), more patients will be transferred to the Liliendaal facility. Our intentions are to add persons who are in the transition ward of GPHC, and these would be positive cases with mild forms of COVID-19”, Dr Anthony explained in a DPI report.
The Health Minister toured and inspected the facility on Sunday last, and revealed that the facility currently has 197 beds, and will grant 50 percent usage during Phase One. This, he pointed out, will remove the burden from GPHC, thus allowing them to cater for more severe cases and non-COVID-19 patients.
During his inspection, Minister Anthony also identified electricity, water availability, and proper sewage disposal as hurdles that have delayed the transfer of patients to the new facility, which was formerly the Ocean View International Hotel.
Nevertheless, the Health Ministry has been working assiduously with the Public Works and Housing and Water Ministries to fix issues that have posed challenges to the facility becoming properly and fully equipped to accommodate COVID-19 patients. Doctors have already been transferred to work at this health facility.
The facility possesses an isolation unit and a section to house patients awaiting their COVID-19 test results.
Dr Anthony conveyed that other works are in progress to ensure the facility is suitably prepared in the event that more patients need to be transferred from the GPHC.
Moreover, as Guyana continues to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak here, it continues to receive support from its bilateral partners to aid in this fight.

US$1 million assistance
Only on Wednesday, the Government of India give Guyana some US$1 million in assistance aimed at improving health infrastructure and capacities in Guyana, and to enable the people of Guyana to receive more COVID-19-related medical care and health services, as well as to procure life-saving medical supplies and equipment.
Under this assistance, 29 ventilators, 4800 PPE-clothing coverall, 4799 masks, 4366 face shields, 70 examination gloves, and various other supplies will be procured.
Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr K.J Srinivasa, handed over these medical supplies and medicines to Dr Anthony during a simple ceremony on Wednesday. It was witnessed by PAHO/WHO Guyana Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow and other officials.
In a statement, the Indian High Commission in Georgetown said each of the other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states has received similar assistance from the Indian Government.
According to the missive, Guyana’s proposal for assistance and collaboration in fighting the coronavirus pandemic was processed under India-UNDP Fund managed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and the guidelines of the Sustainable Development Goals.

During the first India-Caricom (Caribbean Community) Summit in New York in September 2019, on the sidelines of the United Nation General Assembly, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced three offers of assistance to the Caribbean, including US$ 14 million Grant (US$1 million per CARICOM member state) for quick-impact community development projects in CARICOM countries.
However, following the outbreak of the coronavirus here, Guyana had requested that the funding be redirect towards its fight against the life-threatening disease.
The High Commission has said that India’s partnership with developing countries across the world, and especially in the Caribbean region, continues. India’s expertise in healthcare and manufacture of pharmaceuticals will be utilised to help its partners. (G8)