Task Force monitoring over 1,500 COVID-19 cases

– Minister Anthony

-46.9% adult population vaccinated

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony says the COVID-19 Task Force is monitoring 1,541 active cases across the country.

During Tuesday’s COVID-19 update, the Minister said 85 persons are hospitalised, 21 of whom are in the Intensive Care Unit of the Centre For Disease Control and Prevention at Liliendaal.

He said a spike in positive cases has also been recorded in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine), with some 316 active cases.

“We have seen increases in Sand Creek, St. Ignatius, Lethem, Moco Moco…. Right now, in Sand Creek, we have 45 active cases; in St. Ignatius, we have 47, in and around Lethem 35 and Moco Moco, 25 cases.

So, Region Nine, there are places where we have seen this increase in cases and we will continue to monitor and our teams of course are going to those communities and working with those communities.”

Dr. Anthony said Toshaos in Region Nine have restricted access in their villages to reduce the risk of transmission. However, some persons could have contracted the disease due to flouting of the basic precautionary measures.

Meanwhile, the Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region Ten) remains an area of concern. New cases have also been diagnosed in New Amsterdam, East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six) in the Diamond/Grove area and in Georgetown. While all areas recording spikes in positive cases are not considered hot spots, there are 31 active cases in Diamond/Grove which has been categorised as a hot spot.

A nurse prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccine

“In Region Ten we continue to see cases in Amelia’s Ward area and in Wismar. In Amelia’s Ward we have 42 cases, in Wismar 40 and in Region Ten as a whole, we are monitoring 142 active cases.

We have also seen in Region Six, I think increase in cases in and around New Amsterdam. We currently have 43 cases in New Amsterdam. So, these areas can be considered to be hotspots in a sense, but we have seen cases in every region of the country and we continue to monitor these cases, through contact tracing and so forth.”

Minster Anthony said the Ministry and the Task Force would continue to educate and monitor the regions through Operation COVI-CURB.

Meanwhile, in Region One, 57.7 per cent of the population took their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine; Region Two, 43 per cent; Region Three, 46.4 per cent; Region Four, 48.5 per cent; Region Five, 49.7 per cent; Region Six, 54.7 per cent; Region Seven, 45.8 per cent; Region Eight, 31.1 per cent; Region Nine, 45.4 and Region Ten trails behind with 14.2 per cent.

To date, 228, 337 or 46.9 per cent of eligible adults have taken their first dose, while 99, 764 or 20.5 per cent have been fully vaccinated against the disease.