As coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases reached two million worldwide, Guyana’s number continues to climb, with the country now recording 55 confirmed cases of the infectious disease. This figure means that there have been seven new cases in 24 hours.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud
This was revealed by Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud, who did the Public Health Ministry’s daily update on Wednesday.
He disclosed that while the death toll remained the same at six, the total number of persons tested for COVID-19 from February 26 to date is 250. With 55 persons testing positive, the number of persons who have tested negative totalled 195 while eight persons have since recovered from the virus and were released from institutional isolation.
According to Dr Persaud, there are currently 25 and 41 persons respectively in the Ministry’s quarantine and isolation facilities. He added too that the number of persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) still stood at five.
Of the 55 positive COVID-19 cases, four are known to have a travel history and are considered “imported cases”, while the other 51 persons contracted the novel coronavirus disease in Guyana.
The CMO explained that Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) still accounted for most of the cases in the country with more than 80 per cent in Georgetown.
It was reported earlier this week that two per cent of the COVID-19 cases was found in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), and five per cent in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Currently, testing is only conducted at the National Reference Lab at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
According to Dr Persaud, males represent most of those who have tested positive for the deadly virus to date.
In the over-50 group, he noted, males and females are almost equally affected. However, the CMO explained that in the 30 to 49 age group, the ratio was almost 4:1 when comparing males to females who tested positive.
Meanwhile, calls to the COVID-19 hotline has amounted to 1966 – a figure which Dr Persaud said the Ministry was “extremely happy” about. He reminded persons to also use the COVID-19 app as well as the hotline in their respective regions to seek information on this disease.
According to international reports on Wednesday, the total number of confirmed cases globally have surpassed two million, with more than 130,000 deaths.
In the Region of the Americas, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported 644, 986 confirmed cases with some 25, 551 deaths.
The CMO reminded that persons with underlying conditions are more at risk at contracting the infectious disease. These, he noted, include chronic lung diseases such as asthma & bronchitis as well as those associated with smoking; high blood pressure and heart diseases; diabetes; high blood sugar, and diseases associated with immune compromised conditions such as HIV, cancers on treatment, and lupus among others.
Dr Persaud noted that in Guyana, a large proportion of adults as early as those in their mid-twenties are affected by these conditions and are at a high risk for developing the more serious forms of COVID-19 which result in hospitalisation, ICU care and even death.
As such, he stressed that, “No one is exempted.”
“Let me remind you that there are no vaccines nor WHO approved medications to treat the coronavirus disease, [and] the medical personnel will treat you according to the symptoms you present, so do not wait to report,” he added.
He urged persons who display signs and/or symptoms, especially if they have those underlying medical conditions mentioned above, to use the app, call the hotline or contact the nearest health facility for further information.
“Let us all play our part. If you must, absolutely, leave your home, remember to cover your nose and mouth. And remember, wash your hands properly, cough and sneeze into elbows or a tissue that you must discard carefully. More importantly stay six feet apart from each other,” he implored.
