…141 new infections recorded in 1 day
The Ministry of Health on Tuesday reported that five persons died from the novel coronavirus thus taking the death toll to a whopping 738. For the month of September, 113 deaths have been recorded thus making it the deadliest month since the pandemic was first detected back in March 2020.
The fatalities include a 74-year-old female from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) – who died on September 19; a 43-year-old male from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) who died on September 20; a 92-year-old male and a 78-year-old female from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) also succumbed on September 20. The other person, an 85-year-old female also from Region Four, died on September 21.
The 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.
However, new statistics provided by the Ministry showed that another 141 new cases were recorded in one day. The total confirmed cases in the country have jumped to 29,824. Some 30 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit with 155 in institutional isolation, 3525 in home isolation and two in institutional quarantine.
Meanwhile, 25,376 of the 14,241 males and 15,583 females that tested positive have since recovered. Guyana has tested 302,314 persons since the virus was detected here.
An analysis of new cases showed five in Region One (Barima-Waini), four in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 30 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 73 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); 20 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); two in Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); one in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and one in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
There were no increases in Regions One, Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni),
Speaking on the low testing numbers that was reported this week, Health Minister, Dr Drank Anthony said that symptomatic persons might be hesitant about the apparent result from their swab.
“The challenge that you have is that people are not coming forward to be tested. One is to have capacity and the second is whether people are coming to get tested. That a problem that you have. Sometimes in the region, you have low levels of testing because people just don’t want to be tested. They might display signs and symptoms but they just don’t want to be tested because testing would confirm that they have COVID,” he said.
He said the problem with denial is that others will be put at risk – a dangerous situation for the nation.
“They’re going to infect a lot of people around them and that is why it is essential that they come forward and get tested so that we can isolate them and if they deteriorate in terms of getting respiratory distress and so, we will take the appropriate actions. If they’re in denial, we’ll have serious problems.”
If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy.
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.
