Alarming 171 new COVID cases recorded in 24h

…104 infections spike in Region 6

The Health Ministry has reported an additional 171 new COVID-19 cases in Guyana, moving confirmed cases to 66,300.
Infections follow a breakdown of 30,431 males and 35,869 females. Thursday’s dashboard showed the death toll remaining at 1,244.
There is one patient in the Intensive Care Unit, 19 in institutional isolation, 938 in home isolation, and two in institutional quarantine. Recovered cases have reached 64,098, with some 649,493 samples having been tested for the virus.
An analysis shows three new positives in Region One (Barima-Waini); 19 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), four in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 40 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 104 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and one in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
There has been no increase in Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice); Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Increasing positives have resulted in 958 active cases being monitored in the country. Some 20 persons are hospitalized, 10 of whom are at the Infectious Diseases Hospital.
On Wednesday, the Health Ministry reported two new COVID-related deaths: a 68-year-old fully vaccinated man from Region Six, and a 49-year-old man from Region Four whose vaccination status is unknown.
Bed capacity at the Ocean View facility is 198, with 52 equipped for ICU patients. This is supported with piped oxygen throughout the hospital, but the Ministry is in the process of installing an oxygen tank in the compound.
During Thursday’s COVID briefing, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony informed, “That container with the oxygen plant arrived last week, and we are right now in the process of offloading and doing the installation of the oxygen plant, so that we would be able to generate our own oxygen onsite. We have a lot of capacity in terms of treatment of patients, not only at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, but in every region. In each of the regional hospitals, we have established a number of beds to treat COVID. We have a large capacity in terms of treatment of patients.”

Vaccination
Vaccination figures show 443,120 first doses being administered to adults, accounting for 86.4 per cent. Meanwhile, 342,850 second doses, or 66.8 per cent coverage, has been achieved.
For the 12-to-17 category, 34,822, or 47.7 per cent first doses were administered, followed by 25,525, or 35 per cent second doses.
In the five-to-11 cohort, 481 first doses, or 0.7 per cent coverage has been achieved. Booster shots have been listed at 67,365.
Speaking on the feedback received after the recent rollout of the five-to-11 COVID-19 vaccine, the Health Minister indicated that parents are supportive of this move. Depending on the uptake, Government will then decide if to procure more of these jabs.
“A lot of parents have commended the Ministry, that we’re able to roll out the vaccine for this age group. What we have gotten so far is really commendations that we’re able to do this. I would like to encourage parents to make sure that they take their children now to be vaccinated. Now we only have 52,800 doses.”
Emergency use authorisation has been given for a COVID-19 vaccine for children from six months to four years of age. However, developing countries have been challenged in accessing these shots, due to limited supplies, and it would take Guyana some months to procure shots for this section of the population.
“They’re administering that in the US. We’ll see how those vaccinations go. Like with these challenges, it is going to be difficult to access it, because there’re limited quantities and developed countries very often would use these vaccines in their countries; so, there is a scarcity on the global market,” he said.
He added, “It depends on access. Right now, our focus is going to be on the 5-to-11, and again, once we’re able to get a substantial amount of people vaccinated. By then we’ll see when the four-years-to-six-months will become available.”
If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotlines: 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately, or visit www.health.gov.gy.
Global figures show that 533 million people have tested positive for the virus, and 6.3 million have died. In the Americas, more than 159 million confirmed cases have been reported, with over 2.7 million deaths. (G12)