…active cases near 3000; 49 deaths in 11 days
The Health Ministry reported five more deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday – accumulating to 49 fatalities for the month of September.
This takes the total number of deaths from the pandemic to 674. Patients were admitted with COVID-19 like symptoms but died while receiving care at the medical institutions. Samples were taken at the time of admission which subsequently returned positive tests.
All five persons died on September 10. They were two females from Region Four: a 35-year-old and a 57-year-old; a 60-year-old male from Region Two; a 78-year-old female from Region Five and a 37-year-old female from Region Two.
Within one week, 1487 new positives were unearthed, confirming speculations that deadlier variants, including the Delta strain, are circulating in Guyana. On Saturday, a whopping 263 cases were recorded after 1890 persons were swabbed for the virus.
An updated dashboard showed 32 persons in the Intensive Care Unit, 148 in institutional isolation, 2772 in home isolation and 17 in institutional quarantine. Guyana’s active cases has spiked to a startling 2952.
Some 286,458 persons have been tested since the start of the pandemic with 13,343 males and 14,439 females being infected. Only 24,156 have recovered.
New cases
All administrative regions reported new cases, with five in Region One (Barima-Waini), 18 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 40 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 129 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), seven in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 28 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 17 in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), seven in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), three in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and five in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Hotspots
This week, the hotspots were Tuschen, Region Three; Diamond, Grove, Kitty, Sophia and Mon Repos in Region Four; and Bartica in Region Seven. Positives have also been on the rise in Santa Mission.
Figures as of Friday showed that 329,909 persons have taken their first dose of a COVID vaccine, while second doses are pegged at 172,155. The adolescent age group is also progressing, with over 23 per cent of children already immunised with a first dose.
In the Region of the Americas, over 85 million infections have been reported with 2.1 million deaths. Globally, cases have surpassed 223 million with an excess of 4.6 million deaths.
Persons with comorbidities have been continuously asked to continue taking their respective medications or treatment to control their condition. The preventative measures and guidelines to protect against the virus must be adhered to since this category of person is at a greater risk if they contract COVID-19.
Protocols
All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene.
In the new guidelines, measure No 17 stipulates that any persons who wishes to enter a public building shall be vaccinated. Where an unvaccinated person wishes to enter a public building, they can do so by appointment, and by presenting a negative PCR test taken within seven days.
If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy (G12)
