20 new COVID-19 cases detected, 7 persons in ICU

Guyana has recorded 20 new novel coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health reported on Sunday.
According to the Ministry’s updated COVID-19 dashboard, this now takes the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 6125.
However, only 647 of these cases are currently active. This includes seven persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 640 in isolation, that is, 36 persons in institutional isolation and the other 604 persons in home isolation.
There are also 20 persons in institutional quarantine.
The COVID-19 death toll in Guyana remains at 159, while the number of persons who have recovered from the life-threatening disease thus far has increased to 5319 – 14 more than the figure reported on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Guyana has tested some 35,859 persons for the novel coronavirus to date.
Of the 20 new cases recorded on Sunday, one is from Region One (Barima-Waini); eight from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); one case each from Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Sipuruni); five from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and four cases from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
The figures from the other four regions remained the same with 186 cases in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 441 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 75 in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and 298 cases in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of Sunday, some 75,110,651 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported globally along with 1,680,395 deaths from the pandemic.
Meanwhile in the Region of the Americas, that is, Latin America and the Caribbean, the WHO said some 32,437,597 confirmed cases were reported, while the death toll has risen to 809,105.

COVID-19 cash grant
Like the rest of the world, the COVID-10 pandemic has affected many Guyanese. With many businesses having to downscale or even shut down operations, employees have felt the impact of this situation which has trickled down into households.
One month after taking office, the Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Government in September had announced a $25,000 cash grant as a relief for households across Guyana.
This was among a range of COVID-19 relief measures designed to bring immediate relief to persons bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic, stimulate economic growth, put Guyanese back to work, and remove the heavy tax burdens implemented by the previous Administration. The cash grant has served as a timely economic impetus and has catalysed business activity everywhere.
President Ali, in his address to the nation at the time, spoke about ensuring the lives of citizens are taken care of, and this is one such initiative. The President and his Administration’s expectation is that the process remains peaceful and free of abuse.
Over the past few months, special teams have been dispatched to communities in various regions to distribute the money.
Disbursements commenced in the hinterland regions, that is, Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Sipuruni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). It was then taken to Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
In an update on the cash grants on Sunday, Government said the distribution exercise is currently ongoing in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
As of Friday last, it was reported that some 11,968 households in Region Four have received payments totalling approximately $299 million. Government is expected to distribute some $3.4 billion to 136,000 households in the region.
Government has reminded citizens that the payment is $25,000 per principal household and not one per family.
“We know that some households are big, and, in some cases, more than one family may be living in a household. However, where such situation exists, the distribution clerks and regional supervisors are required to note such instances so that those families can be taken into consideration in the future. The Regional distribution teams are therefore issuing the cash grant to the primary householder, and wherever there are other family members or tenants, as the case may be, those persons are being issued with a ‘pink’ form, which will serve as the instrument to be used to verify those candidates for future consideration.”
Primary householders are required to have a valid form of identification in their possession to receive the grant.
Meanwhile, the names, addresses and contact information of persons who were not at home during the distribution exercise will be collected, and arrangements will be made for them to collect their grants at a later date.
It was noted that at the close of business daily, distribution clerks are required to surrender unused cash along with their receipt books for security control.
“At the end of the distribution exercise, each clerk submits their receipts of payments to be audited by the regional authorities and subsequently by the internal audit department of the Ministry of Finance. In this manner, there is careful scrutiny to ensure that receipts issued are reconciled with cash grants distributed. Any discrepancies are investigated, and necessary action taken.”
There have been several complaints about the payments of the cash grants from citizens. Acknowledging this last week, President Ali told reporters that the Auditor General has been asked to audit the entire cash grant distribution.
Distribution is currently underway on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara and in Sophia, Greater Georgetown. (G8)