Another COVID-19 patient in ICU; cases remain at 19
Another patient who was diagnosed with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), according to Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence.
There were two persons in the ICU –a 38-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman— who both died bringing the country’s total number of COVID-19 deaths in Guyana to four.
In her daily update on Thursday, the Minister said the positive cases remain at 19 as of April 1; the regional breakdown: one case in Region three, 17 in Region four and one in Region Six while the test result of one person is inconclusive.
The Public Health Minister noted that 75 persons have been tested in total of which 55 were negative results.
Minister Lawrence reiterated that only persons who have a high temperature along with other symptoms and have come into contact with COVID-19 positive patients or travelled recently are tested.
The Minister said 11 persons remain in isolation, 31 in quarantine at a health facility with 121 in quarantine at home.
The News Room understands that of the 11 persons in isolation, three persons –the husband and two sons relating to Guyana’s first positive case –have now tested negative for the disease.
This family from Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, including a 13-year-old child were tested positive for the disease days after the woman’s death on March 11.
Having completed more than 14 days in isolation this week, the Ministry retested the patients and will conduct another test within 24hrs to confirm whether they are indeed free of the disease.
However, while they will be allowed to leave the isolated area, the family will be expected to remain quarantined at home in order to avoid re-infection.
Meanwhile, calls to the COVID-19 hotline have increased from 1,142 April 1 to 1,252 on April 2.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), patients are discharged after clinical recovery. Upon discharge, they are asked to minimise family and social contact and to wear a mask.