Region 2 woman is latest COVID fatality

– 296 new cases reported

The Health Ministry on Saturday reported that a Region Two resident who had tested positive for COVID-19 has died, taking Guyana’s death toll from the pandemic up to 1,180. The 57-year-old woman, who died on February 4, 2022, had been unvaccinated.
The Health Ministry has reported that, of the 1,302 persons who had been swabbed for the virus yesterday, 296 new cases have been detected.
The total confirmed cases in the country has now moved to 61,404, of which 28,341 are males and 33,063 are females.
There are 14 patients in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 127 in home isolation, 5,343 in institutional isolation, and nine in institutional quarantine. The data shows that 54,740 patients have recovered from the life-threatening virus, while 515,731 tests have been conducted.
A breakdown of the new cases shows that 34 new cases were reported in Region One (Barima-Waini); 13 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 30 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 72 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); 11 in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 29 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); nine in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); 38 in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); 59 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and one in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Meanwhile, vaccination continues among the population, with latest figures showing over 425,000 first dose uptake among the adult population, or 82.9 per cent of that demographic. Second doses have surpassed 315,000, or 61.6 per cent of that demographic.
For adolescents, some 23,000 persons, or 31.8 per cent, are fully vaccinated, while over 41,000 persons have returned for their booster shots.
Government started administering booster shots after studies around the world showed that efficacy of the vaccines wanes after six months of receiving both doses.
Persons have been encouraged to take the booster dose, since protection against the disease would wane after months of complete immunisation. In January, some 20,000 new infections were reported with the rise of the Omicron variant of the disease.
All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures, which emphasise: 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.