COVID infections soaring in Guyana

COVID-19 INFECTIONS ARE SOARING IN GUYANA and Health Minister Dr. Frank
Anthony is worried the current trend in spikes might soon overwhelm the country’s fragile health
systems if not managed astutely.
“The numbers are climbing. We are seeing more people getting infected and it is also very
worrying because if we don’t manage this carefully our hospitals can easily become
overwhelmed,” Minister Anthony warned in his daily TV programme ‘Update’ Tuesday.
“We are getting more cases. Right now, we have 1,933 active cases (and) that’s a high number.
Over the last 24 hours we would have seen a 145 active cases (those are) new cases being
discovered,” a troubled Anthony told viewers.
The government minister believes the more contagious and deadly Delta variant is driving the
hike is infections and hospitalisations in Guyana making public health authorities scramble to
design and implement contingency efficacious measures to help beat back the viral rampage.
Globally, the virus, first detected in Wuhan China at the end of 2019, killed some 4.5 million and
with it the lives of 622 Guyanese.
Most people who fall sick with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms and
recover without special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical
attention from the virus which can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small
liquid particles through coughing, sneezing, speaking, singing or breathing. These particles range
from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols.
One can be infected by breathing in the virus if one is near an infected person, or by touching a
contaminated surface and then one’s eyes, nose or mouth. The virus spreads more easily indoors
and in crowded settings.

The Guyanese health minister is deeply troubled by the current numbers of Guyanese
hospitalised because of the contagious and deadly virus, especially those in the intensive care
units (ICUs).
The infectious diseases hospital at Ocean View, Liliendaal was designed to accommodate some
200 persons, and it is nearing 50 percent of its capacity.
“We have 111 persons in hospitals and as you can see that number is going up on a daily basis.
We have 80 persons at the Ocean View facility, we can accommodate about 200 persons at
Ocean View. We have right now 33 persons in the ICU, we have capacity for about 40 in the
ICU. We are working to expand that so that we can probably add another 10 beds, if it becomes
necessary,” Dr Anthony told Guyanese.
Nevertheless, all options are being explored to safeguard citizens and visitors, the government
minister assured.
“So, it is going to be challenging going forward as we get more and more hospitalisation. We
have already spoken about other contingencies, and if it becomes necessary, (we will) close some
of the services at some hospitals and convert (them) solely for COVID hospital patients,” Dr
Anthony announced.
He said the Irfaan Ali administration is prepared to implement whatever plana are necessary to
help control the march of the deadly virus in Guyana.
“Then of course we will activate the field hospital as well. So, we have considered some of the
next steps if case the cases (continue to) go up.”
Although sections of regional hospitals were outfitted to treat COVID-19 patients, the Infectious
Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, remains the sole national institution retrofitted to treat COVID-
19 patients on a long-term basis.
Since the first recorded COVID-19 case here in March last year, more than 310,000 have
received their first dose of a life-saving jab, while some 160,000 are fully vaccinated.