Guyana records 9th coronavirus death

…cases jump to 82

Guyana has recorded its ninth coronavirus disease (COVID-19) death, after another person succumbed to the deadly virus on Wednesday while receiving medical attention in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

In addition, four new cases of the virus were recorded, thus bringing the total number of cases to 82.

The latest death is Samuel Morris, a 67-year-old diabetic patient. He was among three persons receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
This announcement was made by the Public Health Ministry on Thursday, and it stated that Morris suffered from other complications.
The Ministry has not disclosed

which administrative region or area the man was from or how long he had been battling the virus.
The first virus-related death was confirmed after 52-year-old Ratna Baboolall of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) died on March 11.

The woman travelled from New York, where it is believed that she contracted the virus, to Guyana.
After posthumous tests confirmed that Baboolall was carrying the virus, other family members were quarantined and tested, adding to the country’s positive statistics.
On March 31, another death was confirmed. The country’s

second COVID-19 death was 38-year-old Jermaine Ifill, an emergency medical technician who tested positive and was admitted a patient. His wife later tested positive as well.

The third death, recorded on April 2, was 59-year-old Shadrach Stoll, who also died while receiving treatment in the ICU. Few details were provided by the Ministry of his case.
The fourth person to succumb from the virus was Osa Collins, a 78-

year-old resident of New Amsterdam, Berbice in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Collins died at the Georgetown Public Hospital on the same day, after she was admitted into the COVID-19 ICU after testing positive for the infectious disease.

Health officials noted that Collins was considered an imported case as she had recently travelled to Guyana from the United States of America.
Four days later on April 6, the country learnt of the fifth death. Popular racer Deryck Jaisingh tested positive days after complaining of fee

ling unwell and displaying symptoms associated with the novel coronavirus.
The sixth death was recorded on April 8. Colonel John Percy was a 77-year-old engineer who died shortly after testing positive.

The seventh death, a 49-year-old Lindener, was announced on April 18. Sydney Trellis hailed from Wismar, in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and was visually impaired.
Reports surfaced of an eighth death on April 24. Lennox Williams, a 45-year-old man, also

died at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence had confirmed that Williams was receiving treatment in the ICU after contracting the virus. However, he too suffered complications.

New cases
An updated dashboard released by the Ministry on Thursday showed that Guyana recorded four new cases of the virus. At that time, the number of recovered cases stood at 18.
One day before, Lawrence during her daily update went on to note that Georgetown continued to be the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak here in Guyana.
Positive cases have been identified in Kitty, Sophia, Turkeyen, Liliendaal, Cummings Lodge, Alberttown and Cummingsburg. Cases were also located in Bourda, Lamaha Park, South Ruimveldt, and Thirst Park.
“…you would note from the areas listed that the coronavirus disease is in several of the densely populated areas in our city. We need to stop and take stock of this situation; you must adhere to the guidelines provided or we will be in a situation that we cannot control,” the caretaker Public Health Minister stated.
As of Wednesday, 18 persons were in institutional quarantine while there were 52 persons in isolation.