18 travellers being monitored as part of coronavirus surveillance

-after return from high risk areas

A total of 54 persons arrived in Guyana with a history of travel from areas at high risk for the coronavirus (COVID-19) since active monitoring of ports began on January 18th, according to the Public Health Ministry, which says that 18 are continuing to be monitored while the others are no longer being subjected to surveillance.

According to an update released by the ministry yesterday, of the arrivals, 51 persons arrived from mainland China or Hong Kong and were screened. It said 37 of these persons are Chinese nationals, 12 are Guyanese (including 10 students, a tourist and a child), one a Finnish national and one an American. Two Ukrainians and a Singapore national travelled from Singapore through Europe to Guyana and were also cautiously screened and cleared for entry to Guyana, it added.

The ministry said 53 persons were contacted with daily telephone calls from the Ministry of Public Health. One person, the female traveller from Finland, was not contacted and on further investigation was found to have left Guyana the day after arrival for Suriname.

The ministry noted that four persons when contacted during the monitoring indicated that they were not feeling well and were visited by a medical team from

Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the Linden Hospital. All four were examined and were diagnosed with other medical conditions and cleared as suspects for COVID-19.

Since the monitoring programme commenced, the ministry said, 32 persons were found to be free from signs and symptoms of the infection after 14 days since arrival and were declared free of COVID-19, while 18 persons remain under daily follow-up.

Summary of Travellers

● Number of persons evaluated on entry – 54

● Number of persons quarantined – 0

● Number of home isolation – 53

● Number reporting “not well” – 4 (three adults and one child)

● Number discarded – 4

● Number taken off surveillance – 36 completed 14 days

● Number still on surveillance – 18

Source: Public Health Ministry

The World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that the risk of the spread and impact of the coronavirus is now “very high” at a global level, the highest level of alarm, but containment is still possible.

Meanwhile, the ministry said that it continues to maintain a high-level vigilance for the COVID-19 and to expand capacity to detect, diagnose and treat any suspected case. It noted that the GPHC has a fully equipped 14-bed unit and Diamond Hospital and West Demerara have capacity to isolate and manage cases of COVID-19.

The isolation areas are also equipped and personal protective equipment (N95 Mask, gloves and sanitizers) along with essential medicines and other supplies are in stock.

The ministry further assured that it continues to develop isolation capacity at most of the main public health facilities, while also noting that seven private hospitals also have capacity to isolate suspected cases until diagnosis can be confirmed.

Additionally, it said that as part of efforts to bolster surveillance, eight additional medex have been deployed to port health authorities, while training of all categories of staff has intensified and over 500 persons inclusive of doctors, nurses, and auxiliary staff have been trained, in an effort to heighten awareness on COVID19.

Training is also ongoing at the main ports of entry, while immigration and customs officers have been apprised of what to look for, and additional supplies have been dispatched to all workers at critical points, in the Ministry of Public Health’s effort for early detection and infection control of COVID-19.

The ministry in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has developed the capacity to test locally for the Coronavirus along with testing for Influenza A and B, which present similarly to the COVID-19. It noted that a PAHO virologist, trained staff from the National Reference Laboratory from February 17 to February 21, thereby strengthening Guyana’s laboratory facilities to do its own testing for the coronavirus. The Caribbean Public Health Agency also remains at Guyana’s disposal for the testing of COVID-19.