Guyana records 37 new COVID-19 cases

— active cases now 1129 with 16 in ICU

The Health Ministry on Thursday announced that with 37 new cases of COVID-19, Guyana’s total positive cases has climbed to a stark 3329.
The daily dashboard showed that the number of deaths remained at 98 while 16 persons remained in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
From the positive cases detected so far, a gender breakdown revealed that 1770 males contracted the life-threatening virus, compared to 1559 females.
There are 896 persons in home isolation – a reduction of 43. Meanwhile, 151 persons are in institutional isolation and 66 in institutional quarantine. The country has seen a total of 2165 recoveries – an increase of 121.
There were 12 new cases in Region One (Barima-Waini); four in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 16 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); four in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
The figures for the other regions remained the same, with 284 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 19 in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 50 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); 368 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 119 in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
On Wednesday, three deaths were recorded as a result of COVID-19. The latest fatalities were a 41-year-old female and a 64-year-old male – both from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and a 58-year-old male from Region One. The victims died while receiving care at medical facilities.
On Tuesday, Guyana recorded another three deaths from the novel coronavirus. The country’s COVID-19 death toll has increased by eight thus far this week. The week began with the COVID-19 death toll at 90 on Sunday.
This week, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony informed that 200 inmates of the Lusignan Prison who tested positive for COVID-19 were no longer infectious and could be reintegrated into the prison population. More than 290 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 at the facility. More than 90 others are still being monitored closely.
“From a medical point of view, since they are no longer infectious, we can return them to Lusignan. That is something that the personnel at the isolation centre and the prison authority would have to discuss so that all these persons who have been discharged can go back to the prison setting,” Minister Anthony had said.
A screening and testing campaign for COVID-19 was initiated in the prison after two inmates tested positive for the disease. Since then, the Ministry, along with the Guyana Prisons Service, has been working to put measures in place to mitigate against the spread of the disease.