Toddler, 12-year-old among Region 10 COVID-19 cases

…citizens irresponsible – REO

Guyana has recorded its youngest COVID-19 patients, a one-year-old toddler along with a 12-year-old girl – both from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). They were detected among the 11 new cases confirmed this week.
This was revealed on Wednesday in a statement from the Regional Health and Emergence Committee (RHEC) in Linden, which noted that the number of novel coronavirus cases in Region 10 is now at nine, after increasing by six this week alone.
Currently, there are 93 COVID-19 cases in Guyana, with 10 deaths recorded.
Of these six new cases in Region 10, five of them have already been transported to the quarantine facility at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, including the two children. Additionally, two others are at home awaiting further instructions.
Regional Executive Officer Orrin Gordon, who is also the Head of the RHEC, explained that five of the new cases, inclusive of the two children, are from one family. He noted that the region’s third case has now seen the man’s wife and close family members being infected. These include his one-year-old daughter and 12-year-old niece.
The sixth case is a woman with no relation to the five persons from that family. In fact, regional authorities are overly concerned as it seems this is an imported case in the Upper Demerara-Berbice District.
Prior to the toddler being tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the country’s youngest case was an 11-year-old girl, who is the granddaughter of the first COVID-19 patient in Guyana.
Ratna Baboolall, 52, is listed as ‘patient zero’, and is considered an imported case after succumbing to complications caused by the virus days after returning from New York.
Following her death on March 11, several of her family members, including her 11-year-old granddaughter, tested positive for the life-threatening virus. While most of them have recovered, the girl’s mother took to social media almost two weeks ago to vent her frustration.

In a Facebook live video, Roshini Singh Baboolall disclosed that they have been in quarantine for some 40 days, and that after testing negative more than a month since contracting the disease, authorities claimed a mix-up in her daughter’s test result and said that the child was still positive and had to be further isolated.
Meanwhile, authorities in Region 10 further revealed on Wednesday that apart from the two confirmed cases, another child from Linden is currently awaiting results after also testing for COVID-19.
Nevertheless, the RHEC in Linden on Wednesday reported that in addition to the pending results for the one child, two additional persons who have been suspected of having COVDI-19 are also awaiting their test.
In light of the rising cases in the Region, authorities have renewed calls for residents of the region to be more vigilant and responsible.

Irresponsible
REO Gordon has stated that sections of the populace in Region 10 are “very irresponsible” and are likely to create a major challenge to the residents living within the region. He said this is particularly so since it has been observed that the disease is now being imported into the region.
“People must understand that COVID-19 is deadly and people within this region must understand that they should remain responsible, as they continue to put themselves and every other person at risk. We were at one case long after other regions had announced theirs, and within a short space, we have now jumped to eight persons,” he pointed out.
The RHEC Head echoed sentiments made by the Deputy Police Commander, who said that the public seems uncaring of the danger and risks that they are putting the law enforcement officers at. He said that they do not have the benefits, like many others, to stay home, as they have a responsibility to come out and work.
“…but we are all at risk,” he declared.
According to Gordon, he is very concerned that Guyana has now recorded two child-infections, and as such, urged parents to be more vigilant and alert with their children.
“It hurts me to know that we have two children among those infected, as, prior to this, we had not reported any infections among children, and I hope that parents and guardians would recognize that children are not exempted from contracting this deadly virus. Therefore, it is imperative that they take the required actions and precautions to safeguard children during this time,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Renis Morian also implored residents to recognise that COVID-19 is already in the region, and is making its impact known. He said that people should adhere to stipulated guidelines as, with numbers already increasing, the public should be very concerned.
“I will repeat what the REO is saying all along: that this is a fight that requires all stakeholders (to be involved). Therefore, people must be responsible and recognize that this virus kills,” he posited.