The Health Ministry on Sunday announced that another person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) died, thus taking the death toll to a whopping 104.
Junior Housing and Water Minister Susan Rodrigues encouraging a young boy to wear his mask properly at La Penitence Market
The latest fatality, the Ministry noted, was a 40-year-old female from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), who died while receiving care at a medical facility.
Guyana recorded five COVID-19 deaths on Friday – the highest number within 24 hours. Over the past week, the coronavirus fatalities increased by 15. The week began with the death toll at 89 cases.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry also reported on Sunday that 64 new COVID-19 cases were detected over a 24-hour period.
According to the updated COVID-19 dashboard, the total number of confirmed cases in the country has gone up to 3469 – 1841 males and 1628 females.
Of these, however, only 1048 cases are currently active, with 16 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the other 1032 in isolation, that is, 113 in institutional isolation and 919 in home isolation.
Additionally, there are 60 persons in institutional quarantine. To date, some 2318 persons in the country have recovered from the life-threatening disease.
Guyana has tested 15,963 persons thus far for the novel coronavirus.
A breakdown of the 64 new cases recorded on Sunday showed increased cases in eight of the 10 administrative regions across the country.
This includes a whopping 20 new cases in Region One (Barima-Waini), seven cases each in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 17 cases in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), one in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), two in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), eight cases in Region Eight (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Public Affairs Minister Kwame McCoy distributing pamphlets to vendors at the La Penitence Market on Sunday
The figures in Regions Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) remain the same at 54 and 367, respectively.
Authorities have been pleading with and reminding Guyanese to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 9) which are in effect until October 31, 2020. This order emphasises, among other things, the need for correct and consistent use of face masks when leaving home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Since taking office, the PPP/C Government has embarked on a massive testing drive to ensure that all positive cases, especially asymptomatic cases, are detected.
Moreover, Government has since launched “Operation COVI-CURB” – a countrywide campaign by the Joint Services and other key stakeholders, using an education and persuasion strategy, to elicit adherence to the COVID-19 safety measures.
According to Public Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, this initiative has been garnering positive feedback.
“We’re very pleased with the comments that we’re getting back… we’re trying a softer approach of talking to people and distributing masks, giving out flyers and educating people,” the Minister said last week.
Meanwhile, several Government Ministers have been participating in the initiative. In fact, on Sunday, Public Affairs Minister Kwame McCoy and Junior Housing and Water Minister, Susan Rodrigues, conducted a COVID-19 awareness walkabout at the La Penitence Market.
The Ministers and their teams fanned out from the Toolsie Persaud parking lot to distribute masks, T-shirts with the advisory slogans “COVID-19 Kills – Stay Alive” and “Wear Your Mask, Wash Your Hands And Keep Your Distance” to vendors, shoppers and others.
Operation COVI-CURB stickers with the slogan, “No mask, No ride,” were also given to drivers and minibus operators traversing the area.
This activity follows closely on the heels of a similar exercise held on Saturday at the Stabroek, Skeldon, Leonora and Kitty markets. The initiative is another activity to complement the Joint Services-driven Operation COVI-CURB.
On Saturday, October 3, a hotline was set up for persons to call and report breaches of the COVID-19 measures.
