4 new COVID-19 cases recorded, 413 on home isolation

As testing increases

…isolation facility ready to house positive cases\

Four new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) were confirmed on Saturday, raising the total figures of positive cases recorded in Guyana to 1184.
This is a significant drop from the numbers seen recently. The data was released via the Health Ministry’s dashboard, which showed the death toll remaining at 35.
There are nine persons in the designated Intensive Care Unit – the same as Friday. Meanwhile, there are 96 persons in institutional isolation, 121 in institutional quarantine and 413 on home isolation. The total recovered cases stand at 636 – an increase of three.
A breakdown of cases showed that all new cases were detected in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). This region, which was dubbed as the first hotspot, has the highest number of cases at 406.
The other regional figures remain the same, with 158 cases in Region One (Barima-Waini), 12 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 63 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), four in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 14 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 208 in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), 15 in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), 229 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 75 in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
One day ago, the Ministry announced that three more persons died as a result of COVID-19, taking the country’s death toll to 35. No further details were given regarding these deaths, which was in addition to 40 new cases.
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.
In the last 24 hours, 268 tests were processed which added to a total of 8079. This comes in light of assurances from the new Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony that Government would significantly increase testing in Guyana.
The target for the new week is 300 tests per day. This is a dramatic increase when compared to what had obtained before the new Administration took office, when only about 30 samples were processed per day.

Isolation facility ready
Meanwhile, on Saturday Dr Anthony told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that hospital beds, bedside cupboards and other necessary items have been acquired to ensure isolated patients are housed comfortably at the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention previously called the Infectious Disease Hospital. According to the DPI report, key utilities, which were not previously installed, are expected to be fitted and to power the rooms in the isolation section. With this in place, the Minister said that this particular section for isolation can be used as soon as the evening of Saturday, August 29.
“Our challenge has been electricity to the building, there was no connection to the main power supply and I have asked the Ministers responsible for both electricity and water and they have been very responsive by speaking to their technical staff so I am optimistic that we will get electricity into the building today (Saturday),” the Minister was quoted as saying.
The Minister noted that with the isolation section up and running at the facility – with at least 47 beds – the burden will be removed from the Georgetown Public Hospital, allowing them to cater to more severe cases. (G12)