Like the rest of the country, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is in its third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The region is showing an increase in active cases, moving from 31 last week to 71 as at Wednesday.
Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Vishalya Sharma
This is according to Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Vishalya Sharma, who said that New Amsterdam continues to be a hotspot in the Region with 25 active cases.
However, East Canje, which had recently been deemed a hotspot, has now only 5 active cases.
“The other cases are distributed throughout the region, including Skeldon and parts of the Corentyne. We also would have noted that, in this region, we have so far had 56 deaths, which is unfortunate,” Sharma told the media during a press conference on Wednesday.
She said that most of the deaths occurred between the months of May, June and July.
During last month, there was a reduction, with seven deaths.
“We are really hoping that this trend continues, because we are still in the middle of the third wave,” she said.
Meanwhile, the RHO has said that vaccination continues at all the sites across the region. She explained that while some persons have concerns about not being able to get the second dose of a particular vaccine in a timely manner, whenever it becomes available in the region, it will be distributed.
“We are all in the pandemic together, and we can only get out of it together. It is important that we have a little bit of patience and work together, rather than crowding the vaccination sites,” she explained.
The region has already vaccinated 65.6 percent of its adult population with the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Of that figure, 33 percent have received a second dose.
The RHO took the opportunity to advise persons who are eligible for a second dose of the vaccine to go to the health centre and have it administered.
“Our healthcare workers and the media have been fighting this pandemic for a long time, and the only way out (is)…to be vaccinated. So, we all need to get on board and ensure that we get our vaccines,” she noted.
The RHO noted that while sensitisation programmes have been carried out in riverine communities, the Health Department will be revisiting those communities. These include Orealla, Siparuta and Barakara.
On the first day of the year, Region Six had no active COVID-19 cases. According to Dr Sharma, currently, the figure is dropping, since it had reached 191 at one time and now it is 71.
“One of the challenges we face in New Amsterdam is that people are not adhering to the guidelines. Only yesterday I was told that a patient was tested positive, and when the team went to his home, they were told that he was out on the road. It has been more than a year…we need to do this together. There is no other way out of this, except together. So, if we know that we are positive, it is important that we look out for each other. Follow the guidelines and stay at home,” Dr Sharma admonished.
Noting that healthcare workers play a major role, she said all must realise that it is a public health issue and play their part. (G4)
