38 COVID cases from two interior regions in three days

Last Updated on Monday, 27 July 2020, 20:31 by Denis Chabrol

Guyana has recorded 38 new coronavirus cases in three days, prompting a renewed call for hinterland communities to fight back the spread of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Public Health’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud said the 19 cases that were recorded on Monday all came from Region Nine  (Upper Takatu/ Upper Essequibo).

Dr. Persaud on Monday said figures on Saturday  and Sunday show there is a steady rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the hinterland regions- Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Region 9.

“As you are aware, our cases continue to climb steadily especially in the hinterland regions,” he said in his latest update. He released figures showing that on Saturday, there were nine cases from Region 7, on Sunday there were four cases from Region 9 and  six cases from Region 7.

He appealed to hinterland communities to do all they can to prevent the spread of the virus that has so far claimed 20 lives since March when the first case was detected.  “We continue to emphasize that there is need for more community action,” he said. Dr. Persaud appealed directly to village councilors, gate keepers and prominent members of the communities “to remind those who look up to you to tell them that we can only keep the transmission down if” they stay indoors unless it is absolutely necessary.

He said people, who must leave their homes, must wear masks, must always wear a mask when in public, the mask does not belong under their chins or on their foreheads and do not remove it to speak. They must also practice social distancing, avoid gatherings of more than 10 persons, keep up the practice of washing or sanitizing their hands as often as they can, and change clothes, and take a shower if they were on the street. “We know it’s the holidays, but you still have to protect yourself and family,” the Chief Medical Officer said.

The 19 new cases have pushed  to 188 persons  who are now hospitalised. Thirty-four others are quarantined to see if they will develop symptoms and 4 persons are in the COVID-I9 Intensive Care Unit.

Latest figures show that  181 of the 389 persons have recovered to date.

According to the World Health Organization, the global statistics are as follows:  more than 200, 000 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 15,785, 641 cases with 640,016 deaths (an increase of 4,823); in the Region of the Americas, 93, 499 new cases have been reported bringing the total to 8,385,810 with another 2,890 new deaths bringing the number to 332, 589.