The total number of cases from the novel coronavirus is 7528, after 58 new positives were detected. As infections rise, active cases have surpassed 800.
The daily dashboard showed the number of deaths remaining at 175. One person was removed from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which now has six patients.
There are 42 patients in institutional isolation, 764 on home isolation and 13 in institutional quarantine. Recoveries are now at 6541. Some 48,309 persons have been tested – of which 3894 males and 3694 females were positive.
A regional breakdown shows that one new case was detected in Region One (Barima-Waini), three in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 46 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), one in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), five in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
There were no detections in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) which remained at 225, 609, 233 and 409 respectively.
Speaking on the huge increase in cases witnessed throughout the month of January, the Health Minister said this was due to complacency on the part of the public during the Christmas season. Despite warnings, he noted, many persons chose to violate the measures put in place to protect the population.
“We warned people during December that in January we are going to see a spike if they don’t take precaution. Unfortunately, a lot of people did not heed our call and we’re seeing a spike in cases. Coming closer to the end of December, we had about 350 active cases. Now we’re up to 816 cases so you would have seen that increase over a very short period of time because people weren’t abiding by these guidelines that we’ve established,” he positioned.
Dr Anthony reiterated that cooperation from the public is essential in bringing the situation under control since the Ministry cannot reach this feat alone.
“Each one of us would need to take on responsibilities. It is not a fight that the Ministry of Health alone can conduct or one side of people while other people just do as they please. Everybody got to be involved and when everybody does the right thing, then we are all protected.”
