31.1% of 202 COVID deaths were patients with hypertension

An analysis of 202 of the now 454 COVID-19 deaths recorded in Guyana since the pandemic was discovered here in March 2020, has found that 31.1 per cent of the patients suffered from hypertension.

This was revealed by Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Thursday during his daily COVID-19 update. He explained that when comorbidities were examined, 28.2 per cent of the 202 patients who succumbed had diabetes; 6.9 per cent had chronic kidney disease; 4.5 per cent had cardiovascular diseases; 3.5 per cent had ischemic heart disease and two per cent had an immune-deficiency disease.

It was also revealed that of these deaths, 36.6 per cent were Afro-Guyanese; 28.2 per cent were Amerindians; 23.3 per cent were of East Indian descent and 11.4 per cent were Mixed Race.

The preliminary analysis also found that all of the patients who died in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were not fully vaccinated against the virus.

Dr. Anthony pointed out that over the past few months, the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has seen an influx of patients; on average there are about 80 to 90 persons who present with a more severe form of the disease.

“This is only a preliminary assessment [so] once it is completed and the trend continues, it is something that we will have to investigate further,” Dr. Anthony added.

The Health Minister used the opportunity to reiterate the importance of getting vaccinated against the deadly virus.

Guyana still has a far way to go before it can achieve herd immunity; 80% of the adult population has to be been fully immunized to achieve this. So far, only 21.2% of the adult population has received both jabs.

Below is a breakdown of the vaccination rates in the 10 Administrative Regions: