Regional hospitals being equipped to tackle increased COVID-19 cases

– as 30 new COVID-19 cases confirmed on Sunday

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to spike in Guyana with increased testing across the country, the Public Health Ministry has standardised treatment protocols in the various regions to mitigate increasing cases.
Only Sunday the Ministry disclosed that another 30 new COVID-19 cases have been detected.

This now brings the total number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Guyana up to 955 with 472 being males and the remaining 483 females, according to the Ministry’s updated COVID-19 dashboard.
Of the total cases, 434 are currently active cases – 13 persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the other 421 are in isolation, that is, 84 persons in institutional isolation and 337 persons in home isolation.
Additionally, there are also 82 persons in institutional quarantine.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 death toll remains at 31. On the other hand, however, the number of persons to recover from the deadly disease has gone up to 490 – an increase of more than 50 as last reported.
Of the 30 new cases recorded on Sunday, five are from Region One (Barima-Waini); three from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); three cases from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); seven from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); eight cases from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); one from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and three from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
The number of cases in the other three regions – Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) – all remain the same at two, nine and 12 cases, respectively.
To date, the total number of persons tested for COVID-19 is 6904.
However, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government said that hundreds of positive COVID-19 cases have gone undetected over the past months given the limited number of tests conducted. Since taking office earlier this month, the new Administration has embarked on a mass testing campaign in all 10 regions of Guyana.
There have been 458 new cases since August 4, 2020, and according to the Department of Public Information (DPI) Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, this number is expected to go up as more new cases will be detected over the coming days due to increased testing.
In addition, the Minister stated that the Ministry has standardised treatment protocols in response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as it works to mitigate the high numbers of positive cases being identified daily.
The Minister said in a Department of Public Information (DPI) report that as more testing is being done and new cases are being reported daily, a technical and clinical working group has compiled a document which can serve as a national treatment guideline for COVID-19.
It recommends that doctors are trained and accredited by the Medical Council of Guyana to handle these cases.
The protocols outlined in the document will guide these doctors on what should and should not be done and how treatment varies for different COVID-19 patients
The treatment protocol/guideline will speak to care for persons in isolation whether at home or in an institution, those hospitalised with severe symptoms and those with mild symptoms.
Crucially, intensive care will be paramount for those displaying severe symptoms. The Health Minister recognised that this will be necessary as more cases are being identified, requiring hospitalisation while others are asymptomatic and simply need to be isolated.
Beginning from the point of screening at all hospitals, the protocol/guideline will ensure that persons visiting health facilities for treatment outside of COVID-19 are protected.
Currently, there is an ongoing evaluation of regional hospitals. This is to allow for the creation of a section specifically for COVID-19 patients to be treated separately from the remaining hospital population.
Also, each of these hospitals is likely to cater to ICU spaces for patients with respiratory distress. With that coming on stream, 29 ventilators which have recently been procured will ensure this process is complete.
Minister Anthony intimated that the first batch of these ventilators will be received this week and the first facility to benefit will be the Georgetown Public Hospital. The hospital currently has four working ventilators and the additional machines will boost the treatment capacity in the ICU.