Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 17, 2021 News
– says borders to remain closed
Kaieteur News – The Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has expressed that the government is extremely concerned about the newly detected strain of the COVID-19 virus in Brazil and a possible spread to Guyana that could overwhelm our health system.
During his COVID-19 update on Friday, Dr. Anthony said that the strain that was detected in Brazil sometime this week has been found to be highly contagious, meaning that it is more easily spread and at a rapid pace. That is a health hazard for a country like Guyana according to the Minister. “And if this is more transmissible then more people are going to get infected and if more people are going to get infected then we can assume that we will get a percentage of them – a higher percentage of them coming into the hospital, coming in to the hospital needing ICU care. So these are gonna be the challenges if this variant circulates in our country,” he also stated.
Kaieteur News previously reported an instance when the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, which is responsible for the management of COVID-19 patients, was overwhelmed with an influx of critical care patients but that was remedied when the Liliendaal Infectious Disease Hospital became fully operationalized.
To prevent possible infections from the new strain, the Minister has announced that the land border at Takatu in Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) will remain closed. He said that more joint service patrols will be there to monitor the border and ensure there is no illegal crossing at other points of entry.
The main border between Guyana and Brazil has been closed since last March following the first case being recorded here; however, both governments would have approved an exchange at the borders which was noted by Anthony. The exchange usually occurs every Thursday which sees the transfer of goods between both countries. It is monitored by Guyana and Brazil’s health authorities.
The Health Minister also highlighted that the United Kingdom (UK) has banned flights from Brazil and other countries on the continent (Guyana included) after the new strain was detected in Brazil. He said that the World Health Organization suspects that the new strain might already be in other countries on the continent. Additionally, Deputy Director of Research at Brazil’s state-run Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Felipe Naveca, said the new variant was concerning and its origin was “undoubtedly” from the Amazon region. Besides Brazil, new strains of the virus have been found in the UK and South Africa.
So far Guyana cannot test for the new variants that have been detected elsewhere.
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
Apr 19, 2024
SportsMax – West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews delivered a stellar all-round performance to lead her team to a commanding 113-run victory over Pakistan Women in the first One Day...Kaieteur News – For years, the disciples of Bharrat Jagdeo have woven a narrative of economic success during his tenure... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]