86th COVID-19 death reported, 37 new cases

A 74-year-old woman became Guyana’s latest COVID-19 fatality on Saturday, raising the death toll to an alarming 86.
The Health Ministry announced that the patient, who was from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), died while receiving care at a designated facility at about 14:00h.
It marks the fourth death reported for October, after three persons would have succumbed last Thursday. The three men, all of whom were from Region Four, were aged 46, 69 and 73.
With the detection of 37 new cases of the novel coronavirus, Guyana’s total number of positives recorded climbed to 3005. This shows a breakdown of 1606 males and 1399 females.
According to the Health Ministry, three persons were transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which now stands at 18. Some 76 persons were removed from home isolation as figures now stand at 851. Additionally, another 271 were removed from the institutional quarantine, leaving the numbers at 64. There are 144 individuals in institutional isolation. In one day, 141 persons also recovered, which resulted in 1907 total recoveries.
A breakdown of the positives showed that nine new cases were detected in Region One (Barima-Waini), one in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), three in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 19 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), two in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
The other figures for Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) still stand at 18, 288 and 355 respectively.
As of October 1, the curfew was changed from the previous 18:00h to 06:00h to 21:00h to 04:00h. With the change in the national curfew, certain businesses like gas stations and supermarkets were allowed to operate up to 20:00h. Additionally, food services shall be opened only for delivery, drive-thru, curbside pickup and take away from 04:00h to 20:00h. Gyms, bars and nightclubs are to remain closed.
On Thursday, the Government launched operation COVI-CURB, an initiative by the National COVID-19 Task Force to ensure compliance with the gazetted COVID-19 emergency measures.
Prime Minister and head of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Mark Phillips while addressing the new measures said that the move to relax the national COVID-19 curfew is not an opportunity for persons to disregard safety protocols as it relates to the pandemic.
“We have not reduced or relaxed the measures for anyone to go out there and party and socialise and feel more relaxed,” he has noted.
According to Phillips, the curfew was relaxed in the interest of providing a conducive environment for persons who have to work.
“Whether you are a farmer, whether you are a fisherman, and you have to get up early and get out to sea or get your goods to the market, so you can start selling at 6 am, that is the reason why we have changed the timing…not for people to have longer hours to party. This is serious business and if you want to stay alive, now is the time to stop partying,” the Prime Minister posited.
The Prime Minister relayed that the new operation will be based on education, moral- suasion and enforcement, and will see collaboration between the Joint Services, civil society, community groups and volunteers, to ensure that the public complies with the gazetted order.