57 persons treated in COVID-19 ICU

−Positive cases continue to climb in hinterland

DPI, Guyana, Monday, July 27, 2020

To date, the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Corporation has attended to 57 critically ill patients who have contracted COVID-19.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud on Monday highlighted the ongoing work of the unit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the 57 persons treated in the unit, 11 have succumbed, 29 have been transferred out of the ICU after their condition stabilised and 9 have recovered and been discharged.

Dr. Persaud explained that those persons being discharged from isolation and the ICU would have been cleared following the recent WHO guidelines which Guyana adopted.

“This ensures that everyone who is discharged is assessed as free of COVID-19,’ he said.

The ICU houses those persons who have developed the most complicated form of COVID-19 and require special medical attention.

Someone with a pre-existing health condition, particularly one which weakens their immune system is at risk of becoming critically ill, manifesting complex symptoms which may require that they are admitted to the ICU.

Of the 188 active cases reported on July 27, four are in the ICU at the time of the update given.

Meanwhile, the CMO drew attention to the steady increase in positive COVID-19 cases within the last three day; all of which were reported to have emanated from the hinterland.

“The new cases for the weekend came from Region 7 (9 cases) on Saturday; on Sunday 4 cases for Region 9 and 6 cases for Region 7; today (19 cases) are coming from Region 9,” Dr. Persaud detailed.

With these new numbers, the Ministry has issued a call to village leaders in these hinterland regions to redouble efforts, emphasising precautions to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

Dr. Persaud remarked that “We (the ministry) continue to emphasise that there is a need for more community action. Village councillors, gatekeepers and prominent members of the communities, we are asking you to remind those who look up to you to tell them that we can only keep the transmission down.”

As of Monday, July 27, 2020, the number of reported cases in Regions Seven and Nine were 75 and 41 respectively. Both regions have each reported one COVID-19 related death