35 new COVID-19 cases recorded as testing increases

…410 patients under “close monitoring” – CMO

As health institutions increase COVID-19 testing, another 35 new cases have been recorded.
The daily update on Friday was provided by Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud. At present the deaths are 31. This now brings the total number of positive cases since March in Guyana to 881. However, 433 recoveries were reported. There are 410 persons under close monitoring – which breaks down to 77 in institutional isolation and 333 in approved home isolation. Eight persons are still in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while recovered patients have been placed under strict measures to prevent any reinfections, Dr Persaud said.
From August 15 to 20, 218 new cases were reported, coming mainly from Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). The first case in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) was reported last week while there have been sporadic cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
“As you can see from the data over the last week, COVID-19 remains a threat to everyone in all areas of Guyana. Within the last few days, we have a noted a lot of concerns about the testing and laboratory confirmation of COVID-19. I would like to assure members of the public that the tests conducted by the National Public Health Reference Laboratory is the WHO-recommended molecular PCR test for the coronavirus,” the CMO stated.
Dr Shamdeo said that anti-body rapid tests are available, which may indicate that someone was exposed to the virus but is not recommended to diagnose the infection. However, he set the record straight that these procedures should not be compared, since only the PCR is used to detect positive cases.

“Please desist from comparing these two distinctively different methods of testing since the rapid anti-body test is not approved to diagnosed active COVID-19 case and only the molecular PCR can credibly identify infectious persons.”
Over the past week, he said the momentum to wear a mask has increased significantly and should be continued as Guyana seeks to eradicate the virus locally.
On Thursday evening, the Health Ministry related that a 73- year-old man and patient of the transitional ward at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) died – becoming the country’s 30th death from the coronavirus. According to the Ministry, a swab test was done when the man was admitted to the facility and the results came back as positive following his death. The ministry said that it has since contacted his relatives and other contacts to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who may have been exposed.
On Wednesday, four COVID-19 deaths were reported. Among those was a 43-year-old woman, who was a patient of the transitional ward at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Upon admission to the GPHC, a swab test was done, and following her death at 09:00 on Wednesday, the results came back as positive.