Mass testing conducted in Bartica
─ Reg. 7 COVID cases increase
─ Middle, Upper Mazaruni record no cases
DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Regional Health Officer (RHO), of the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region, Dr. Edward Sagala, has indicated that the area continues to record new COVID-19 cases daily.
Regional Health Officer of Region Seven, Dr. Edward Sagala
As of Monday, August 10, 2020, there were 135 confirmed cases reported in the town of Bartica and the areas of the Lower Mazaruni sub-region.
Providing an update on the situation, the RHO gave the following breakdown of positive cases in the region.
| Area | Number of COVID cases |
| Bartica | 15 |
| Aranka | 49 |
| Big Hope (Aranka area) | 2 |
| Batavia | 19 |
| New Found Out | 9 |
| Agatash | 4 |
| Melangree | 5 |
| River’s View | 1 |
Dr. Sagala noted that while the number of positive cases is alarming, the Middle and Upper Mazaruni sub-regions have not reported any positive cases to date.
He said the Regional Health Department continues to exercise efforts to contain the spread of the virus to the areas they have identified.
Meanwhile, a mass testing exercise was conducted in Bartica on August 9. Ninety-four samples were collected and dispatched to Georgetown to be tested. The persons tested have been advised to home quarantine until their test results are returned.
The RHO again took the opportunity to remind citizens to “act responsibly” and protect themselves and their families by adhering to the health and safety guidelines.
Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony.
In a recent appearance on the NCN programme ‘Government in Focus’, Health Minister, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, disclosed that the PPP/C Government is working on expanding the country’s COVID-19 testing capacity.
The Minister noted that the government has already begun to address the issue of limited test kits. This, he noted, will allow for a decentralised approach to testing.
“We need to decentralise because it takes, sometimes, eight days for someone in Region Nine who had a swab taken to get to Georgetown and then to be tested at the Reference Lab and the results returned to them… we have to change that.”
Currently, the Health Sector can process 300 tests daily; the administration’s goal is to process 500 tests daily.
End