Health specialists COVID positive in Region Ten

Regional COVID Coordinator of Upper Demerara/Berbice (Region Ten), Dr Michael Marks was
hospitalised this week at the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal after testing positive with
the deadly virus.
Dr Marks was not fully vaccinated against the contagious disease, www.aroundtheregions.com
was reliably informed
“Many of our colleagues (doctors) were somewhat surprised that Dr. Marks got infected. Since
he assumed this post over a year ago, he was able to remain negative until recently,” a doctor
familiar with the coordinator, said.
Said he: “it is a very sad situation. From the symptoms and state of his condition it may be safe
to say that there is a new strain that is present as what and how we know COVID operating some
months ago, it is not the same right now,” a doctor explained to this publication.
Several sources confirmed that Dr. Marks supervised several patients housed at the hospital
wards last week, and at least three of them succumbed. Among them, Regional Vice Chairman,
Mr. Douglas Gittens, and well-known taxi driver, Mr. Howard James.
A Ministry of Health source revealed that after Marks “started complaining of feeling fatigued
and (exhibited) other symptoms such as headaches and pains, he was subsequently tested. The
results showed, he was positive.”
“He was then self-isolating but his condition got worse and he was then admitted to the COVID
hospital in Liliendall. Subsequently his condition got worse and he is presently housed in the
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the very hospital.”
Sources have confirmed that so far three doctors have been confirmed COVID positive and this
is cause for serious concern.
“While I cannot provide you with details of their situation all I can confirm is that while two of
those persons are not in a serious situation, the other is in a much more serious situation,” a
knowledgeable source said. However, this media house was reliably informed that apart from Dr.

Marks, Dr. Karen Perriera and a relative of Dr. Joseph London have also been infected.
However, reports are that their conditions are stable and it is felt that they are expected to recover
shortly.
Sources said understandably, several nurses are apprehensive working at the Wismar COVID
hospital for fear of jeopardising their safety and that of the loved ones.
“We currently have a situation where several of the nurses are going through their paces because
at the end of the month, they are expecting to be paid but they are not committed, dedicated and
not seriously interested in remaining there for fear of their own lives and that of their families.
The situation is very scary, as more and more nurses are reluctant performing their duties.
Ultimately, the patients are the ones that are directly impacted,” another healthcare official said
on conditions of anonymity.
The consensus in Region Ten is that the deadly, infectious virus has spiralled out of control in
the bauxite-mining municipality. The country’s historically divisive politics has been blamed for
the upshot of infections in the impoverished mining capital.
In Linden, “everything that you say is seen and or taken in a political way, so many have opted
not to say anything (about the climb in infections) but the reality is that the situation here has
been out of control for some time now.”
“It’s important that those in authority speak out as the numbers are evidently increasing
and this isn’t good for our community,” a Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) source said.