COVID-19 cases in Guyana surpass 100 as 7 new cases recorded

The number of persons to contract the novel coronavirus in Guyana has now surpassed 100 after seven new cases were recorded on Sunday.
In its updated COVID-19 dashboard, the Public Health Ministry disclosed that the country’s total number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases is now 104.
According to the Ministry’s dashboard, an additional 62 persons were tested since Saturday’s update, bringing the total number of COVID-19 tests done in Guyana to date at 914. Of this, 810 persons were tested negative.
Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 deaths remain at 10. One more person has been admitted to the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). There is now a total of six patients in the dedicated ICU.
Additionally, the number of persons in institutional isolation has gone up to 59 – seven more than the figure given on Saturday. While those in institutional quarantine has reduced to just one from three the previous day.
No new recovered cases have been recorded as the number is still at 35.
Only Friday during the Ministry’s daily update, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud disclosed that children account for 5.4 per cent of all positive cases recorded while adults make up 82 per cent and the elderly 12.6 per cent.
According to the CMO, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) continues to be the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana, with the highest number of confirmed cases recorded in Georgetown.
Cases have been detected in Kitty, Sophia, Turkeyen, Liliendaal, Cummings Lodge and Alberttown in North Georgetown; and Bourda, Lamaha Park, South Ruimveldt and Thirst Park in South Georgetown.
On the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), positive cases were reported in Atlantic Gardens, Friendship, Golden Grove, Good Hope, Lusignan, Plaisance and Strathspey. And on the East Bank (EBD), at Diamond, Grove, Land of Canan, Providence and Timehri.
The second-highest number of coronavirus cases have been recorded in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). Only on Wednesday last, it was revealed that the region’s cases had increased to nine – recording the country’s youngest COVID-19 patient, a one-year-old toddler.
The Regional Health and Emergency Committee (RHEC) in Linden noted that six new cases were detected in the region last week alone and five of them were from the same family. They were immediately transported to the quarantine facility in Diamond, East Bank Demerara, including two children – the toddler and a 12-year-old girl.
Currently, children make up a small percentage of those infected with the coronavirus around the world and while they generally have milder reactions, there are some children who need intensive care like dozens in New York – the epicentre of COVID-19 in the United States.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 3,917,000 coronavirus cases have been recorded around the globe with over 274,000 deaths.
In the region of the Americas, in excess of 1,655,000 cases have been recorded, while over 98,700 persons have died from COVID-19.
The Public Health Ministry continues to plead with citizens to heed the health advisories and observe the correct hygiene measures and precautions. Citizens are also asked to always practice social distancing in the workplace, public spaces, and while using public transportation so as to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease.