…92 new cases recorded
The Health Ministry on Tuesday related that three more persons who tested positive for the novel coronavirus have succumbed, thus taking the death toll to a whopping 306.
These latest fatalities are a 77-year-old female from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and two males – a 66-year-old and 47-year-old also from Region Four. They all died on Monday while receiving care at a medical facility.
With persons continuing to lose their lives to the disease at a rapid pace, these latest COVID-19 deaths have taken the fatalities for the month of May up to eight. In April, some 65 persons succumbed to the virus.
Meanwhile, 92 new COVID-19 cases were detected from 537 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.
According to new statistics provided by the Ministry on Tuesday, the total number of confirmed cases in Guyana now stand at 13,656 – 6855 males and 6801 females.
However, 1754 of these are currently active cases. This includes 17 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 1737 persons in isolation, that is, 100 in institutional isolation and the other 1637 in home isolation.
There are also another six persons in institutional quarantine.
To date, some 11,596 persons who had contracted the deadly virus have recovered – 149 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.
Some 125,711 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus in Guyana thus far.
Of the 92 cases detected on Tuesday, eight are from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 26 from the Demerara-Mahaica region; another eight cases from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); four in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); two from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); a whopping 37 cases from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and the remaining seven cases from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
The figure in the other three regions – Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) – were the same.
29.9% of adult population get 1st dose
Meanwhile, the Government of Guyana continues to aggressively roll out the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in order to achieve herd immunity at the fastest possible time. To date, some 145,797 persons have so far received their first dose vaccine while 5309 persons have been fully vaccinated.
With Government aiming to have 200,000 persons fully immunised by August, Dr Anthony has once again reassured that there are sufficient doses to give persons their second shot.
“There have been persons who are worried that they might not get their second dose shot but I want to assure them that we have set aside the vaccines to give them their second dose,” he explained.
The Health Minister noted that with the donated Indian-manufactured AstraZeneca vaccines and the Chinese Sinopharm, half of these were set aside to be used as second shots to boost the immune systems of persons against COVID-19.
However, with the Sputnik V vaccine, the first and second doses are two different components. But the Minister again assured that this second dose of the Russian jab is also available in the country to be administered to those who took the first shot.
“So, there should be no worry pertaining to where you’re getting your second dose from. We already have it here and have in shortage at the vaccine bond… We have enough vaccine for every adult person in Guyana,” he asserted.
Dr Anthony further pointed out that they are currently depending on two main sources of vaccines, that is, through the COVAX facility – which is expected to send a second batch of 38,000 doses AstraZeneca sometime this month – and the remainder of the 200,000 doses of the Sputnik V that Guyana bought to the tune of US$4 million.
So far, the country has received some 138,000 doses of this Russian jab.
Nevertheless, the Health Minister pointed out that the challenge is not acquiring the vaccine but actually getting persons to be immunised. On this note, he pleaded with persons to fact-check information they share on the vaccines so as to not mislead or deter persons from getting inoculated.
