Guyana’s high COVID-19 death rate is now capturing the attention of health officials as the percentage of persons dying from the virus locally is significantly higher than the world statistics.
DCMO, Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle
Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle highlighted on Wednesday that Guyana has an alarming death rate when compared to other countries. In fact, six per cent of the local cases have died after contracting the virus. Worldwide, this figure is just two per cent.
“The situation in our country is becoming increasingly alarming, since over this past week we have recorded the highest number of cases since the beginning of the COVID-19 … [outbreak] in our country…Currently, six per cent of all infected cases have died; for a country with less than one million inhabitants, this rate is very high,” she indicated.
Health officials continue to plead with residents across the country to observe the precautions, especially in Regions One (Barima-Waini); Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) where there is an upsurge in cases. These precautions are incredibly important, since the health sector is “overburdened” managing the virus.
“If the number of positive cases and deaths are not evidence enough of the presence and effects of COVID-19, then we are in a very terrible position in our response to this disease. I must make it clear that the measures instituted by the Ministry of Public Health are consistent with the management of highly-contagious diseases. The health system is already overburdened with responding to this current situation, and if this becomes worse, then we will not be able to manage,” the DCMO insisted.
The younger population was reprimanded for their actions in flouting the curfew and guidelines. It was noted that persons were extremely vulnerable to the virus and should act as though they are at risk.
“I launch an appeal yet again to the young in our population, especially our 20-29 year olds, who have been openly disregarding the regulations, to reflect on their behaviour and ponder on the way this lifestyle is contributing to the COVID-19 situation in our country. For fear of repeating myself, I wish to state that in Guyana, the coronavirus disease is not exclusive to the elderly, but as the statistics have shown, our males in the age group mentioned above have been most vulnerable,” Dr Gordon-Boyle said.
She went on to call out customer service representatives and other workers from the business sector, who fail to protect themselves from the virus while handling money and interacting with customers. Also in this category were patrons who fail to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines.
Dr Gordon-Boyle detailed, “In our stores, we begin to see some patrons not wearing masks and flouting the physical distancing regulations. Even our cashiers are handling money and citizens’ purchases without constantly sanitising. These are the measures that have helped us so far, but which we are neglecting to go through with. I implore you to do the right thing.”
Meanwhile, those who are following the recommended guidelines were asked to continue doing so, as it would reduce the probability of contracting the virus if a person did come into contact with an infected case.
As of recent, authorities have managed to expand screening to Buckhall, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Aranka, Region Seven.
But even as the DCMO expressed concern about the death rate, the family of the latest COVID-19 fatality are disputing the diagnosis. The 76-year-old woman, May Portsmouth, died at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Portsmouth’s family said that she was taken to the hospital after she fell from a flight of stairs at home and suffered a mild heart attack. After she was discharged, she experienced a seizure and was taken back to the public hospital. The family said that she subsequently died and it was then that they were told that she was tested for COVID-19 and died as a result of the virus.
However, her son, Lester Portsmouth has since said that this diagnosis was suspicious.
“How she dead from coronavirus and she was perfectly [fine] when she go in there, and they gave her the injection, and when my sister go in there, they said she dead. How come she dead from coronavirus?” Lester lamented.
As a result, the aggravated son stated that there might be a hospital cover-up of his mother’s death. His suspicions are compounded by the fact that the Public Health Ministry has not asked them to go into quarantine nor tested relatives for the virus.
