The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) will today commence mobile testing for the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the East LaPenitence Health Centre in Georgetown.
This is a result of the climbing number of cases in Guyana so the health authorities are ramping up their response to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
The MoPH announced the establishment of the mobile unit which will provide services in Central Georgetown which is the epicenter of the epidemic.
However, the mobile units will only be utilized to take samples, which will then be transferred to the MoPH’s National Reference Laboratory- the first local institution authorized to conduct COVID-19 tests.
These tests will be conducted from Monday to Friday during the period of 09:00 hrs to 15:00 hrs.
Meanwhile, the MoPH also announced the establishment of two facilities in Region four one at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara Corridor, and the other at Paradise at the East Coast Demerara Corridor.
Both facilities will provide COVID-19 services for citizens who have symptoms or who have been in contact with a positive case and think they are at risk.
This service will be available from Monday to Friday during the period 09:00 hrs to 15:00 hrs.
So far, the MoPH has reported that the number of confirmed cases remains at 74 as of April 26, 2020. This is inclusive of eight deaths.
Twelve persons have been medically cleared and have since recovered from the virus. A total of 455 persons have been tested with 381 of those tested returning negative.
In institutional quarantine, there are 24 persons while 53 others are housed in institutional isolation.
Five patients are currently in the COVID-19 ICU at the GPHC.
The Public Health Ministry continues to offer psychosocial support for those in need.
Globally the WHO had reported 2,719,897 confirmed cases with 187,705 deaths. In the Region of the Americas, the number of confirmed cases is 1,047,508 with 53,103 deaths.
The Ministry of Public Health is calling on all citizens to heed the health advisories and observe the correct hygiene measures and precautions.
Citizens are also asked to always practice social distancing in the workplace, public spaces, and while using public transportation so as to reduce the spread of the coronavirus diseases.
