… Regions 3, 4, 7 lead infections
The deaths of two other COVID-19 patients on Monday have moved the country’s total deaths from the virus to 273.
The Ministry of Health reported Tuesday that the latest death toll is two men, a 60-year-old man from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and a 56-year-old man from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). Both died while being cared for in medical facilities.
A total of 38 people died from the virus during April.
On Tuesday, 71 people tested positive for the coronavirus. The total confirmed case now stands at 11,972 – 6051 males and 5921 females.
There are 13 patients in the Intensive Care Unit, 73 in institutional isolation, 1315 in the home and 11 in institutional quarantine. Meanwhile, 10,297 people have recovered. Guyana has experienced 108,883 individuals.
New cases
Analysis showed that two of the new positives were found in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); five in Region Three (Essequibo-West Demerara Islands); 45 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); three in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); six in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and eight in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) remain at 1038, 354, 994 and 247 respectively.
Alcohol alert
Although there is no scientific evidence to support that COVID-19 vaccines respond adversely to alcohol, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has urged people to be sober in order to accurately analyze their symptoms.
During the latest coronavirus update, he advised people not to drink alcohol before and after taking the vaccine. In the same breath, he dismantled a published article that claimed people had to abstain from alcohol for two months after immunization.
“As with all vaccines, we would prefer people not to drink before they come for a vaccine and immediately after abstinence. The reason is that if we are going to observe to see if someone is having side effects from the vaccine, then that person needs to be sober. We have not seen in any of the scientific literature that a vaccine interacts in any harmful way with alcohol, ”Dr Anthony noted.
Hot spots
Speaking on the local pandemic, the Minister highlighted Regions Three, Four and Five – where pockets of outbreaks have been identified. The hotspots were listed as Diamond, Eccles, Success and Lusignan but in many villages, a few cases have come to light.
“There are pockets where we see more cases but generally when we look across the East Coast, Georgetown or the East Bank, almost every village has almost one or two cases. Similarly, in Region Three in Tuschen, we have seen more cases but again, in different villages, there are one or two cases, ”Dr Anthony outlined.
Due to the sharp increase in cases in recent weeks, the Minister said that health teams had continued to monitor. There are also a number of patients under isolation.
“We must continue to monitor. We have a number of people on their own in the home and we have a number of people other than organizations. That exercise is ongoing. Again, it comes back to people doing the right public health measures, that is, wearing their mask and making sure they keep their distance. ”
At the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Liliendaal, 71 patients are hospitalized while 15 others are at West Demerara Regional Hospital. There are five additions at New Amsterdam Hospital. (G12)
