COVID hotspots: Tuschen, Lusignan, Success, Eccles & Diamond

With a surge in COVID-19 cases in Guyana, the government is closely monitoring several areas now classified as hotspots for the novel coronavirus in Region Four.

In his daily COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, said that Lusignan and Success on the East Coast of Demerara and Eccles and Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara are currently the hotspots for Region Four, the largest administrative region in Guyana.

He said there is also an upsurge in cases in Regions Three and Seven.

“There are pockets where we are seeing more cases, but generally when we look across, say the East Coast, or Georgetown, or the East Bank, almost [in] every village, there are one or two cases.

“Similarly, in Region Three at Tuschen, [East Bank Essequibo], we are seeing more cases [so] we have to keep monitoring.”

Guyana is dealing with a third more deadly wave of the dreaded virus, which has claimed 273 lives in Guyana; 38 patients died in this month alone thus far. This new wave is now attacking the younger population and more persons are being hospitalised, authorities had reported.

While the government has stringent measures in place to curb the spread of the virus, the Health Minister said that the onus is on every citizen to ensure they adhere to them.

“All of this can be avoided if people do the right thing and I think that’s, what we are trying to appeal to people to do because we are all in this together and if you’re going to break the rules, then you’re not only endangering yourself but you’re endangering others,” Dr Anthony lamented.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister also commended Guyana’s ongoing aggressive COVID-19 vaccination campaign which has seen more than 90,000 citizens receiving their first jab.

And that number continues to climb with thousands of Guyanese lining up at vaccination sites countrywide.

On this, Dr Anthony said: “The response has been good, over the last couple of days and now, on average, we’re getting about 6,000 people coming out and we’re hoping that we can improve that and get more people coming out and get more people vaccinated faster.”

While there have been concerns of a shortage of vaccines, the Health Minister assured that everyone who has received their first dose – whether it is Sinopharm, Sputnik V or AstraZeneca – a large stock is in storage to ensure the second dose is administered.