3 new COVID-19 deaths, 40 new cases reported

The Health Ministry on Friday announced that three more persons have died as a result of COVID-19, taking the country’s death toll to 35.
No further details were given regarding these deaths. 
Only Thursday, the Ministry reported Guyana’s 32nd COVID fatality following the death of 52-year-old Alfred Humphrey of Kingsley, West Coast Berbice, who died in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Meanwhile, as increased testing continues countrywide, 40 new cases have been detected in the last 24 hours.
This is according to the Ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard on Friday, which states that the number of cases recorded in Guyana to date has increased to 1180. Of these cases, 581 are males and the other remaining 599 are females.
However, the country’s active cases are only 512, that is, nine are patients in the COVID-19 ICU while the other 503 are currently in isolation – 96 in institutional isolation and 407 in home isolation.
Additionally, there are 112 persons in institutional quarantine as well.
Moreover, the number of persons who have recovered from the life-threatening disease has also increased to 633 – 17 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.
To date, a total of 7811 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus in Guyana.
A breakdown of the 40 new cases shows that two were detected in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 14 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); two in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and a whopping 22 new cases in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
The figures for the other regions remain the same at 158 cases in Region One (Barima-Waini); 12 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); four in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 14 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); 15 in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), and 75 cases in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Since taking office earlier this month, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has embarked on a mass testing campaign in all 10 regions of Guyana. The new Administration said that hundreds of positive COVID-19 cases have gone undetected over the past months given the limited number of tests conducted.
However, recently there has been a recording circulating that the COVID-19 test kits that Guyana has procured are contaminated – a claim which the Health Ministry has already denounced.
In fact, even the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) dispelled the rumours.
PAHO/WHO country representative, Dr William Adu-Krow recently assured the public that his organisation ensured that the test kits met all the necessary standards before being dispatched to countries for use.
“I can assure the public that the tests being done in Guyana are secure, safe, and quality assured, so if you get a positive, it’s a true positive… All the testing kits that we have have to go through a quality assurance first, then go through PAHO and then it comes here monitored, temperature-sensitive monitored, so by the time we get them, we know they are in good stead,” he had explained in a report from the Department of Public Information (DPI).
According to Dr Adu-Krow, “To the best of my knowledge, the kits that were graciously given by the Government of China came to us about six to eight weeks ago. Those were used and we did not have any problems. Now, there is someone suddenly saying we are getting increases because of that; that is a lie.”
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has repeatedly urged persons to go out and get tested and not let the rumours circulating be a deterrent. Since widespread testing has been increased, the number of positive cases being identified is a true reflection of the COVID-19 situation in the country.
As such, steps are being taken now to enhance the country’s capacity to deal with the spiking number of COVID-19 cases.
It was reported on Wednesday that Government has secured a whopping $4.5 billion to aid in the coronavirus relief, which will be used to help households, procure medical supplies and resources in other areas of need. (G8)