— infrastructure to manage pandemic to be enhanced
A total of 40 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed on Thursday, which raised the total positives in Guyana to 5276.
The Health Ministry’s dashboard showed deaths remaining at 149, with 2733 males and 2543 females contracting the virus this far.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony
There are seven persons in the Intensive Care Unit, 100 persons in institutional isolation, 768 on home isolation and 49 in institutional quarantine. Thus far, 4252 persons have recovered from the virus.
A breakdown shows one new case being recorded in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) one in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), four in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 26 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), two in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), three in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Five (Mahaica-Berbice) remains at 844 and 40 respectively.
Enhanced response
Capacity and infrastructure to manage the coronavirus pandemic locally will be enhanced, after grants were issued to Guyana by the Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank to the tune of US$22 million and US$7.5 million respectively.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony announced on Thursday that these funds will be used to enhance the country’s response to COVID-19. This includes resources, monitoring, evaluation and developing laboratory units across the country.
“With the World Bank $7.5 million, $7 million is focused on the response itself with $500,000 being available for monitoring, evaluation and management of that particular project. We’re looking at developing and strengthening our laboratory capacity, not just centrally but in the regions as well…We want to improve contact tracing so that if there’s anybody that is positive, we can trace all the people they’ve been in contact with. We’re looking at improving hospital capacity,” he outlined.
He said there are mechanisms in place to determine how the money will be disbursed, and this a management team is currently working with the other counterparts.
“There is a structure that we have to work with and we have a project management unit that is going to be working with the IDB team to unlock the resources. These are standardized procedures that we have to go through so we have the team that is working on that.”
In the meanwhile, Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 MERGENCY MEASURES (NO. 10), which are in effect until November 31, 2020. This order emphasises, among other things, the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your 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.
If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit us at www.health.gov.gy.
