No new COVID-19 cases; Ministry concerned with ‘alarming’ situation along borders

No new COVID-19 cases were reported for May 27, 2020, and the total stands at 139.

A total of 67 persons have now recovered and the number of deaths remains at 11. This means that there are 61 active COVID-19 cases across the country and in institutional isolation.

Two patients remain in the COVID-19 ICU and eight are in institutional quarantine.

In providing Wednesday’s update, Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud expressed grave concern with the “alarming situation emerging just across and along our borders.”

He said Guyana’s “indigenous brothers and sisters are at extremely high risk for the influx of imported cases and for contracting the disease.”

Guyana shares a border with Brazil which has now become the epicentre of the deadly virus in Latin America.

Three of Guyana’s four hinterland regions are already affected by COVID-19.

“To complicate issues, we continue to witness the downright nonchalance of our residents who are intent on carrying on with their laissez-faire lifestyles, seemingly unappreciative of the selfless efforts of our Frontline workers who are risking their lives for our protection. Is this callous attitude going to persist until Guyana is swarmed with a high number of deaths?

“One death is already too many and we have eleven. Please note that our sister CARICOM countries have begun to see a decline in their numbers, yet we have an almost runaway situation – over the past four days, twelve new cases were confirmed,” the Chief Medical Officer said.