Another 11 dorm students test positive for COVID-19

… 41 new cases recorded from 518 tests

Another 11 students who returned to their dormitories on Friday have tested positive for COVID-19.
This is according to Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony during the coronavirus update, adding that this is in addition to one other teacher and five support staff. Total positives from the dorm facilities are 30 students, 11 teachers and 13 ancillary staff.
“Today we have 30 students who have had a positive experience. We have 11 teachers who have come back to teach and they have tested positive and we have 13 other staff in the dorms who cook etc, ”said Dr Anthony.
These current outbreaks are spread across Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight ( Potaro-Siparuni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Essequibo Upper) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
On Thursday, a total of 19 students, 10 teachers and eight staff members turned out to be positive. These people are all isolated in facilities across the country. Nevertheless, the Ministry is continuing this testing exercise as more students come out of remote areas.
“We expect some of the students in the outlying areas to come to those dorms and when they come, they will be tested. Therefore, these numbers could increase. I think the education system is expecting over the weekend that they will have incoming students. ”
On Friday, about 41 new cases of the new virus were confirmed from 518 samples. In total, there are now 6510 confirmed cases since COVID-19 was reported in Guyana back in March 2020.
There are six patients in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 41 in institutional isolation, 296 detached people at home, and 43 in institutional quarantine. Recoveries are up to 6000 and deaths remain at 167.
Analysis showed that 12 new cases were detected in Region One, one in Region Two, one in Region Three (Essequibo-West Demerara Islands), 13 in Region Four, two in Region Five, one in Region Seven, four in Region Eight , four in Region Nine and three in Region 10.
A few weeks ago, there were reports of a more transmissible strain of the coronavirus, which was first detected in the United Kingdom but has already spread to the United States. Then a few days ago, health officials in South Africa highlighted the detection of anther stress.
Dr Anthony gave his input on these developments, as he said, “It was said that these types of virus can cause a more serious form of the disease, leading to more people becoming ill. These things would happen. Mutations would occur and the only way we can detect these mutations is that we have to take that virus and be able to get through it and do the sequencing to see what the nucleotides it forms and how it is’ These are arranged. “
He said Guyana lacks the ability to carry out genetic sequencing and because of this, samples would have to be sent to other laboratories if health officials want it done.
“In our case, we have worked out an arrangement with CARPHA so that CAPRHA can do the follow-up for us. We have not sent any samples but we have the arrangement if we need to send samples, ”he added.
It was announced this week that the National Secretariat of the COVID-19 Task Force (NCTFS) will move to further enforce the COVID-19 measures, to keep the population safe until a vaccine becomes available.
The Ministry and NCTFS rely on the cooperation and cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure that measures can be used more effectively. In summary, Shared Services will inflate their current campaign and visit communities that have allegedly broken national protocols. (G12)