June’s COVID death toll jumps to 70 with 2 more fatalities

– 68 new cases detected in 24h

The Health Ministry on Tuesday announced that two other persons who tested positive for the coronavirus have died, thus taking the death toll for June to 70.
Since the pandemic started, 468 people have lost their lives to the deadly virus. The latest fatalities are a 38-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). They both died while receiving care in a medical facility.
However, new statistics provided by the Ministry showed that 68 persons tested positive within a 24-hour period. Now, the total confirmed cases have jumped to 19,959 with 9742 males and 10,217 females.
Fifteen persons are still seeking treatment in the Intensive Care Unit, with 13 in institutional isolation, 1508 in home isolation and nine in institutional quarantine. Guyana has swabbed 187,309 persons, of which 17,879 of the positive patients have since recovered.
Meanwhile, a dispersion of new cases showed two were recorded in Region One (Barima-Waini); four in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); eight in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 31 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); three in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); 13 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and seven in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Cases in Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) remain unchanged, after no new cases were reported.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has moved to a house-to-house approach for its COVID-19 vaccination campaign in several regions, aimed at targeting vaccine hesitancy and increasing the current figures.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Tuesday stated that the house-to-house approach which was first rolled out in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) has been undertaken by health workers in other regions.
Along with fixed sites, this additional initiative is expected to engage people who may have doubts about the vaccine, and overall increase the Ministry’s reach.
“We have started to do is some house-to-house, going to the various communities, walking from house to house, talking to people and encouraging them to get vaccinated. We also, on those outreaches, have vaccination teams that would be mobile so that as they go through the house-to-house exercise, if there are people that would like to get their vaccines, that they will be able to get it there,” he expressed.
In Guyana, 232,599 persons have taken the first dose of the vaccine, which translates to approximately 47.8 per cent of the adult population. Second doses have reached 107,421 or 22.1 per cent. Work is continuing with the Private Sector and other community leaders.
“We are working on different approaches. We have seen a slight improvement in the numbers in Linden. We would like to see those numbers go up and we have to continue to work with community leaders in Linden to make sure there is a better understanding and appreciation of how vaccines work.”
Dr Anthony lamented that recent actions from the Opposition have contributed to heightened vaccine hesitancy in some areas – a scourge that health workers are now tasked with eliminating. It has also created a setback in the country’s campaign.
“Now that you have a vocal Opposition telling people not to get vaccines and calling for the suspension of the Sputnik V vaccine in Guyana has in some ways contributed to people becoming a little hesitant. It’s making the work of the health workers a little difficult to try to undo the damage that was done by the Opposition. Nevertheless, the professionals that we have on the ground has been working to make sure and to get people to understand the importance of vaccination,” he vocalised.
If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or www.health.gov.gy.