Low COVID testing across regions needs to improve – Health Minister

Even with the spike in COVID-19 positives across the country, some administrative regions have not been conducting testing at the extent at which they should.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony pointed out during Monday’s COVID-19 update that apart from Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Four (Demerara-Mahaica), the other regions can do better in relation to testing for the coronavirus.
While cases are still recorded every day in these areas, he said it might not be a true reflection of the actual numbers.
“In every region, we have a number of cases but that varies because some regions are not testing as much as they should. Region One, Region Six, Region Five, Region Seven, Region Eight, Region Nine and Region 10 can do much more testing. But they’re not testing as much and therefore, we might see the numbers in those regions are artificially low. So, it’s an underestimate of what is currently happening in those regions…Region Two is not testing as much as they should,” said Dr Anthony.
Hotspots in the country with corresponding positives are Port Kaituma (21) and Mabaruma (12) in Region One; Charity (18) and Onderneeming (15) in Region Two; Tuschen (65), La Parfaite Harmonie (45), Pouderoyen (36), Santa Mission (35) and Cornelia Ida (33) in Region Three; Diamond (110), Grove (91), Eccles (35), Soesdyke (41), Timehri (39), Herstelling (38), Mon Repos (45), Haslington (36), Better Hope (33), Enterprise (30), Lusignan (25), Paradise (25), Good Hope (24), Plaisance (24), Enmore (21), Annadale (21) and Non Pariel (21) in Region Four.
For Georgetown, there are spikes in Kitty (84), Sophia (75), South Ruimveldt (48), Lodge (43), Campbellville (41), West Ruimveldt (41) and Cummings Lodge (39).
The others are Onverwagt (25) in Region Five; New Amsterdam (20), Region Six; Bartica (94), Isseneru (24); Tusseneng (38) in Region Seven; Aishalton (28), Region Nine; and Wismar (18), Amelia’s Ward (17) and Mackenzie (14) in Region 10.
Since the pandemic started, over 300,000 persons have been tested across the various administrative regions, with almost 30,000 swabs returning positive. Laboratories authorised to conduct PCR testing include the National Public Health Reference Laboratory, Eureka Medical Laboratories Incorporated, Coastal Diagnostic Laboratory, Sheriff Medical Laboratory and New Vision Labs.
For antigen testing, Eureka Medical Laboratories Incorporated, Coastal Diagnostic Laboratory, Sheriff Medical Laboratory, New Vision Labs, Anamayah Memoral Hospital, Biotec Medical Laboratory, Dr Leslie Persaud Clinic, Dr Balwant Singh’s Hospital, Woodlands Hospital, St Joseph Mercy Hospital, Quest Medical Centre, Midway Specialty Care Centre and Caresworth Medical Centre are the approved entities.
“The public sites are supposed to be working. We have in Region Four, one at Herstelling, Paradise, Georgetown apart from the hospital sites. In every one of the Government hospitals at the regional level, you can get testing done there,” the Minister added.
Persons are usually asked to get tested if they have been in contact with a positive person or are experiencing symptoms associated with the virus. If positively detected, they can be isolated immediately to prevent the virus from spreading to other people. Newer variants, such as the Delta strain, are shown to have higher transmissibility and affects infection rates. (G12)