Two additional COVID-19 testing sites will soon be established in East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six), to encourage more people to get tested voluntarily for the disease.
The testing sites are located in New Amsterdam and Skeldon hospitals and should be completed by this weekend.
Regional Chairman, Mr. David Armogan said this approach aims to foster more testing as opposed to persons calling the region’s hotline number for assistance.
“The majority of cases that would have accounted for the increase that would have come over the past month would have come from Orealla and Siparuta, but the 14-day period would come to a close by Thursday so, quite a number of those tested positive will now be clear,” he explained.
The Region is now able to receive test results in about 48 hours instead of the seven to eight days that it previously took.
The Regional Administration has been able to conduct mass testing of 575 persons per week, since a spike in cases was first recorded in Orealla and Siparuta.
This approach, the Regional Chairman said, will pay off for them in the long run.
With easier access to testing, Mr. Armogan expects the active cases to decrease, similar to what occurred at Vryman’s Erven after a lockdown was imposed.
“The active cases in the Region is what we hope to curb by mid-December so that people will be more comfortable during the holiday period instead of having active cases walking around,” he added.
The Regional Chairman is encouraging individuals to get tested if they start to suffer any symptoms of the disease. He says persons must realise that taking action to curb transmission of the disease is every individual’s responsibility.
The Region has also established testing sites at Rose Hall, Port Mourant, Orealla and Siparuta.
Region Six had reported 280 active cases as at December 1.
