GeneXpert machine set up at Lethem
-training to follow
-another deployed to Mabaruma
Minister of Health, Hon Dr. Frank Anthony says a GeneXpert machine has been set up at the Lethem Regional Hospital, Region Nine to test for COVID-19 while another one has been deployed to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital in Region One.

The Minister told the National Assembly, on Thursday, that a team would soon will be dispatched to Region One to conduct training.
“During this week, we’ll send a team out to train those persons in Region One so we can start utilising that GeneXpert machine,” he said.
GeneXpert machines have also been installed at the Linden Hospital Complex, Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region Ten) and at the New Amsterdam Hospital in the East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six).
The Ministry is also in the process of procuring two additional machines to be placed in other regions. Texting via the GeneXpert machine is similar to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and is more sensitive than the antigen tests. Testing would be done at the hospitals and the results are available within an hour. The GeneXpert machines together with the PCR and antigen tests, are the three options available to test for Covid.
Dr. Anthony said Guyana is also monitoring for the new strains of the disease, in response to a question posed by Hon Dr. Karen Cummings about whether there is monitoring for the new strains of Covid, given that they were detected in Brazil. The Ministry also engages frequently with the World Health Organization where information on the various strains is provided.
“We are monitoring what is happening… We are part of a network of 22 laboratories in South America and the Caribbean that has been monitoring and doing gene sequencing so that we can know about the circulation of the different strains,” Dr. Anthony said.
The Minister said while Guyanadoes not have the capacity to test for the new strains, an arrangement is in place for samples to be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency. to date, 10 samples have been sent to the agency for genetic sequencing.