Persons with flu-like symptoms should get tested for COVID-19 – Health Minister

With the circulation of new COVID-19 variants, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony on Friday sought to encourage all citizens with flu-like symptoms to get tested for COVID-19.

The Minister said he is disappointed with the decrease in the number of people now being tested for the coronavirus locally.

“We would like to encourage people to get tested,” Dr. Anthony said during his COVID-19 update.

There are 649 known active COVID-19 cases countrywide currently. But Dr. Anthony fears that there may be numerous instances where persons are infected and they do not know because they have refused to be tested.

“…and that’s unfortunate because they can continue to spread it to other persons and it can be more challenging to manage.”

The Health Minister explained that the current variant circulating has the potential to infect anyone, whether they have been infected before or are fully vaccinated.

“So don’t assume you have flu, get tested for COVID.”

To make his case, Dr. Anthony singled out Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) where he said the Ministry has not recorded a single case in recent weeks.

The Minister said this is not because there aren’t any cases; but rather because people are not coming forward to be tested.

Guyana recorded 71 new COVID cases in the last 24 hours and some 20 persons are hospitalized with the disease across the country.

“We have testing facilities across the country and I encourage more people to be tested,” the Minister admonished.