– 84 positive cases recorded in 24h
The Health Ministry on Tuesday reported that another seven persons who tested positive for COVID-19 have succumbed thus taking the death toll to 437.
The Ministry stated that the patients were admitted with COVID-like symptoms but died while receiving care at medical institutions. Samples were taken at the time of admission which subsequently returned positive.
Among the fatalities are two males from Region Four – aged 84 and 66; and a 75-year-old female who died on June 13. On June 14, a 70-year-old male from Region 10; a 72-year-old male and 66-year-old female from Region Three; and a 51-year-old male from Region Two also succumbed to the virus.
Previously, a 39-year-old man from Region 10, a 54-year-old man from Region Six, a 76-year-old woman from Region Four, and a 78-year-old man from Region Six were the latest deaths. In total, 39 persons have died for June.
However, new statistics provided on Tuesday showed that 84 new cases were recorded, taking the confirmed positive cases in the country 18,530. There are 21 patients in the Intensive Care Unit, 112 in institutional isolation and 1378 in home isolation and two in institutional quarantine. Some 16,401 individuals have since recovered. To date, 121,246 tests were conducted.
An analysis of new cases showed two in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 22 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 30 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); seven in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 21 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); two in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and three in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are at 1162 and 1107, respectively.
Meanwhile, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has informed that some 102 persons are hospitalised across various institutions.
In Tuesday’s briefing, he said six persons are at the Linden Hospital, three in the Bartica Regional Hospital, eight in the Berbice facilities, six in Mahaicony Hospital and eight at West Demerara Regional Hospital.
Another 70 of them are at the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. Out of this number, 21 are in the Intensive Care Unit.
Latest figures show that some 222,373 persons or 45.7 per cent of the eligible population received their first dose. For second doses, the numbers are at 90,157 or 18.5 per cent.
Health workers are currently exploring various mechanisms in their region to up the vaccination rate.
“Each region, there are peculiarities in those regions and we don’t want a one size fits all campaign. We want the health personnel and other people in the region to customise their response that is most suitable for their region,” the Minister shared.
During the update, it was outlined that monies that were recently granted in the National Assembly from the Contingency Fund will be used to purchase over 200,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccines and 100,000 Sinopharm shots.
“We were able to purchase 200,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccines and 100,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine. Those monies were used specifically from the Contingency Fund. We also received monies from the supplementary budget and those monies, we also allocated some of it to be able to purchase vaccines, more specifically to get vaccines to the Caricom-African Union initiative, and also some additional Sputnik V vaccine,” Dr Anthony outlined.
From the supplementary budget allocation, a portion has been allotted for additional vaccines while the rest was directed for the upgrades and medications for hospitals.
“We have also, funds from this allocation to develop some of the critical infrastructure works that is needed right now. This include repairs to health centres and hospitals; and we are purchasing equipment for these hospitals and health centres. In addition to that, the Georgetown Public Hospital would have received close to $1 billion and that is for a number of things, including the purchasing of pharmaceuticals for patients.”
