September now deadliest month with 167 deaths

– 4 more unvaccinated persons among 6 to succumb
– 228 new cases recorded in 24h

The Health Ministry on Friday announced that six more persons who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have died, moving the figure representing total deaths from the pandemic to 792. For the month of September, there was a whopping figure of 167 fatalities.
The patients were admitted with COVID-19-like symptoms, and died while receiving care at medical institutions. Samples were taken at the time of admission, which subsequently returned positive tests.
Among the deaths was one fully vaccinated person, while four were unvaccinated and the status of one was unknown. On September 26, a 45-year-old male from Region Three succumbed.
On September 30, an 85-year-old male from Region Seven; a 49-year-old female from Region Two; a 58-year-old female from Region Four; a 74-year-old female from Region Five, and a 57-year-old male from Region Four also died.
However, new statistics provided by the Ministry showed that 228 new cases were detected, thus taking the overall positive cases to 32,055, of which 15,222 are males and 16,833 are females.
There are 30 persons in the specialised Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 142 in institutional isolation, 3651 on home isolation, and four in institutional quarantine. The number of recoveries now stands at 27,440, while 319,070 persons have been tested to date.
The new cases were recorded in all ten administrative regions. One new case was detected in Region One (Barima-Waini); 21 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); 60 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 97 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); three in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); three in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); three in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); two in Region Eight (Pomeroon-Supenaam); three in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 35 in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Vaccination
Meanwhile, adult first dose vaccination uptake stands at 359,222, or 70 per cent; while second dose uptake stands at 199,978 or 39 per cent. Thursday also ended on a record number for vaccination, with 9,510 doses being administered.
A total of 24,460 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine has been delivered to adolescents, while second dose delivery has been pegged at 11,601.
Regional first doses show 76.8 percent for Region One, 57.3 for Region Two, 66.6 per cent for Region Three, 78.3 per cent for Region Four, 68.6 per cent for Region Five, 71.3 per cent for Region Six, 69.4 per cent for Region Seven, 44.1 per cent for Region Eight, 71.6 per cent for Region Nine and 29.7 per cent for Region 10.
In terms of second doses, the breakdown shows 34.8 percent for Region One, 33.5 per cent for Region Two, 35.1 per cent for Region Three, 44.8 per cent for Region Four, 41.3 per cent for Region Five, 39.6 per cent for Region Six, 34.7 per cent for Region Seven, 29.4 per cent for Region Eight, 39.3 per cent for Region Nine and 13.2 per cent for Region 10.
“To improve the vaccination rate, we have to get these numbers…second dose closer to 75 per cent. Once we get that, we will start seeing a turnaround with the cases,” said Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony during Friday’s COVID update.
Hospitalisation numbers stand at 139, inclusive of 96 at the Infectious Diseases Hospital. There are 30 persons in the Intensive Care Unit, along with 27 maternity cases.