Three more persons who tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) died on Wednesday, according to the Health Ministry.
This takes the total number of deaths from COVID-19 in Guyana to 98.
The latest fatalities are a 41-year-old female and a 64-year-old male – both from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and a 58-year-old male from Region One (Barima-Waini).
These persons died while receiving care at medical facilities.
Only on Tuesday, Guyana recorded another three COVID-19 deaths. The country’s COVID-19 death toll has increased by eight thus far this week. The week began with the death toll at 90 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry also reported on Wednesday that a whopping 104 new coronavirus cases were detected in the last 24 hours.
According to the updated COVID-19 Dashboard, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has now gone up to 3292 – 1752 males and 1540 females.
Of these, however, only 1113 cases are active, including 15 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 1098 in isolation: 159 in institutional isolation and the other 939 in home isolation.
Currently, there are 55 persons in institutional quarantine.
To date, some 2084 persons have recovered from the life-threatening disease – 67 more than the dashboard reported the previous day.
Guyana has tested over 15,300 persons for the novel coronavirus thus far.
A breakdown of the 104 new cases detected on Wednesday showed that all 10 administrative regions recorded increases.
Twenty-three cases were detected in the Barima-Waini Region; one case in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); six in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 43 cases in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); one in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); three in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); seven cases in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); 13 in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); two in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and five cases in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Lusignan prisoners
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has said 200 inmates of the Lusignan Prison who tested positive for COVID-19 are no longer infectious and can be reintegrated into the prison population.
More than 290 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 at the facility. More than 90 others are still being monitored closely.
“From a medical point of view, since they are no longer infectious, we can return them to Lusignan. That is something that the personnel at the isolation centre and the prison authority would have to discuss, so that all these persons who have been discharged can go back to the prison setting,” Minister Anthony said.
A screening and testing campaign for COVID-19 was initiated in the prison after two inmates initially tested positive for the disease. Since then, the Ministry, along with the Guyana Prisons Service, has been working to put measures in place to mitigate the spread of the disease.
“Operation CoviCurb”
Since taking office, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has embarked on a massive testing drive to ensure that all positive cases, especially asymptomatic cases, are detected.
Authorities have been pleading with and reminding Guyanese to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 9) which are in effect until October 31, 2020. This order emphasises, among other things, the need for correct and consistent use of face masks when leaving home; the importance of maintaining six feet of physical space from others and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Additionally, Government has launched “Operation CoviCurb” – a countrywide campaign by the Joint Services and other key stakeholders, using an education and persuasion strategy, to elicit adherence to the COVID-19 safety measures.
According to Dr Anthony, this initiative has been garnering positive feedback.
“We’re very pleased with the comments that we’re getting back. The Police, the Army, the CDC (Civil Defence Commission) and other volunteers have been out talking to people. So, we’re trying a softer approach of talking to people and distributing masks, giving out flyers and educating people,” the Minister said Wednesday during an update on the pandemic.
He pointed out that they feel this approach would work as the more people know about the virus and how it is contracted, the more they will protect themselves.
The Health Minister went on to say that they also have the police stationed at the COVID-19 Hotline Centres at all times so that whenever calls come in about breaches of the emergency measures, then they can alert ranks from a nearby station or outpost to go out and engage those errant individuals.
“This too has become a welcomed change because I know a lot of people have been complaining that the enforcement is not working. But this really is an effort for us to change that and get people to report to us and allowing the Police to take some form of action. I think as we do more of this, we will get people to comply [with the guidelines],” Dr Anthony asserted.
The Health Minister is pleading with persons to volunteer as part of “Operation CoviCurb”. He noted that interested persons can contact the COVID-19 Secretariat and they would be given materials to distribute in their communities. (G8)
