Child remains in ICU, two warded at Infectious Diseases Hospital

− officials monitoring increased Covid cases in Regs. Nine and 10

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony says a child remains in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Infectious Disease Hospital at Liliendaal, while two others are doing much better than they did last week.

Minister Anthony made the disclosure during Tuesday’s COVID-19 update. Last week the Minister revealed that over 1,500 children in the country had contracted COVID-19 since the beginning of the year.

“We have seen a slight decrease in hospitalisation overall, so, as of today, we have 61 persons who are in the hospital with 14 of those in the ICU, of those 61 that we have in the hospital, three are children, two are in the wards, so they are not in the ICU, they’re in the wards, their prognosis looks quite like good. And we have one child right now that is in the ICU.

So, we continue to monitor these children to see how they’re progressing to make sure that they’re getting all the meds that is required and all the other measures that should be taken, are being taken. And we’re hoping that they’ll be able to get better and be out of the hospital shortly,” Minister Anthony said.

The Health Minister, last week, urged parents to ensure that all COVID-19 measures are followed in order to prevent their children from contracting the deadly disease. At the time Minister Anthony stated that children from as young as one-month-old had contracted COVID-19.

“Since March 2020, some 1,566 children were diagnosed with COVID-19; 287 children between the ages of one month to four years, 148 boys and 39 girls. 523 children between the ages of five to nine years, 273 boys and 251 girls. Children between the ages 10 to 14 years represent the largest grouping, a total of 756; 342 boys and 414 girls.” 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is also monitoring increased COVID-19 cases in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine). In total, the Region has 134 cases; Lethem 53, Tapachinga 50, St. Ignatius 41, Sand Creek 31 and Aishalton 25.

Minister Anthony said Sand Creek and Aishalton have both seen reduction in cases. He also noted that in the last week, there has been an increase in the number of vaccines administered in the region as well.