No new COVID-19 cases but ministry alarmed over rise in hinterland numbers
Although there was no increase in COVID-19 cases reported yesterday, the Public Health Ministry said it remains concerned about the continuous rise in regions outside the epicenter, Region Four.
During a COVID-19 update yesterday, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shamdeo Persaud revealed that as of May 29th, no new cases were recorded even though 27 more tests were done, bringing the number of persons tested so far up to 1,586, with 150 of those being confirmed positive. The country currently has 72 active cases, which accounts for the number of persons in institutional isolation. 11 persons are currently in institutional quarantine, while 67 persons have so far recovered from the virus, and 11 persons have died. Two persons remain at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Persaud, reiterating the ministry’s recent focus on the hinterland regions, stated that authorities are beginning to witness the emergence of more positive cases in regions One and Seven. He particularly noted that eight days after recording its first COVID-19 case, Moruca, in Region One, now has nine confirmed cases, while in Region Seven, which recorded its first case on May 10th, had a total of 15 cases up to yesterday.
A ministry pie chart was released with a percentage breakdown of the number of positive cases recorded by region. The pie-chart showed that Region Four, which has been deemed the epicentre of the outbreak in Guyana, has recorded 68% (or 102) of the total COVID-19 cases, which is a steep decrease as the figure previously stood at 85%. Hinterland regions, as Persaud explained, continue to see a rise in cases, with Region Seven accounting for 10% (15), while Region One accounts for 6% (9).
Region Three has recorded 13 cases so far with Region Ten at 9 cases and Regions Nine and Six both recording 1 case. Regions Two, Five and Eight are the only three regions that have not recorded any case of COVID-19.
In another breakdown of the positive cases in the regions by age and sex, Dr. Persaud reported that males within the 25 to 29 age group are predominantly affected in Region One, while in Region Seven males within the 30 to 39 age group have been affected. “As we can see from the statistics, our males continue to be the ones most affected by COVID-19,” he said. Persaud again urged the general public and more specifically men to adhere to the emergency public health measures even as he said that it is not the ministry’s intention to “bash” males but to ensure that the nation remains healthy.