Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has disclosed that the surge in COVID-19 cases continues as some 847 new infections were detected in the last 24 hours, of which more than half is amongst the younger age groups.
During his COVID-19 update today, Dr Anthony point out that of the new cases detected some 489 are between the ages of 25 to 39. This figure climbs to 589 for the 25 to 44 age cohort.
“I would say that the most active grouping where we are seeing these cases is this younger grouping that is really mobile, moving around from place to place, probably going to bars and restaurants and things like that. They are the ones who we are seeing that are getting infected,” the Health Minister stated.
Additionally, some 26 new infections were detected in the 15 to 19 age group, 22 in the 10 to 14 cohort, and 21 new cases in the 5 to 9 grouping.
Meanwhile, the 847 new infections have resulted in a significant spike in the active cases across Guyana, which has now gone up to 4,295.
These include 29 active cases in Region One (Barima-Waini), 74 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 351 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), a staggering 2,789 cases in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 89 in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 639 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 113 cases in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), one case in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) – which the Minister explained is due to less testing – 208 more cases in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), and 203 active cases in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
There are also 80 persons who are hospitalised across the country with 14 of them on oxygen. Some 52 of these hospitalisations are at the Ocean View Hospital, where five patients are currently in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Health authorities have attributed this surge in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks to the Omicron variant, which though not deadly is highly transmissible.
According to Dr Anthony, “Most of these persons who have tested positive, they are mildly symptomatic because you see from hospitalisation numbers, not a lot of these persons are in hospitals but rather, they should be in isolation… [Infected] people must stay home and don’t be in contact with others because if they are and they are not wearing masks and taking precautions then they would be able to spread the virus to other people.”
