90 ‘COVID’ deaths recorded in May; Guyana nears 17,000 cases 

The Ministry of Health has reported that four more individuals died from the disease COVID-19, which means that there have been a total of 90 deaths recorded so far for this month. 

The latest fatalities, according to the Ministry of Health, are:

• An 81-year-old man from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) who died on May 29 
• An 83-year-old woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) who died on May 29
• A 65-year-old man rom Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara) who died on May 30
• A 30-year-old man from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) who died on May 29

It was explained that patients were admitted with COVID-19 like symptoms but died while receiving care at the Health Ministry’s medical institutions. Samples were taken at the time of admission which subsequently returned positive tests.

With these 90 deaths recorded this month, May is deadliest month of the pandemic. April, 2021, was previously the deadliest month with a total of 66 deaths. Now, the total number of deaths recorded since the first death was recorded on March 11, 2020 is 389. 

In addition to the new deaths recorded, 42 new people were infected with COVID-19 over a 24-hour period. The new infections came from 356 tests. This means that 16,952 people have been infected with the disease since March last year. 

The new cases were recorded in Region One (two cases), Region Three (two cases), Region Four (11 cases), Region Six (22 cases), Region Seven (two cases) and Region Ten (three cases).

Importantly, there are also 23 people in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which treats those infected individuals who are severely ill. There are also 102 people in institutional isolation, 1,916 in home isolation and nine in institutional quarantine. This means that there are 2,050 active cases. 

There are also 16 newly-recovered people, locally. 

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 IMMEDIATELY or visit the Ministry’s website at www.health.gov.gy.