The month of September has emerged as one of the deadliest for Guyana as the country has recorded 38 deaths from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and Suriname have also recorded deaths from the virus over the past 24 hours.
The Ministry of Health in Guyana said that a 94-year-old woman became Guyana’s 73rd COVID-19 death, a few hours after a 64-year-old male from Region Eight also died from the disease on Thursday.
It said that the woman from Region One, was pronounced dead on arrival at a medical facility and that a “test sample was collected from the deceased and was tested positive for COVID-19 subsequently”.
At the end of August, Guyana had 35 recorded COVID-19 related deaths and Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said that the spike in the deaths is a global trend and it is likely to continue unless Guyanese seriously considers and take the preventative measures to flatten the curve.
Guyana has so far recorded 2, 579 positive cases of the virus that was first detected in China last December and blamed for 984,000 deaths and 32.3 million infections worldwide.
In the Bahamas, the Ministry of Health confirmed that there were 81 additional cases bringing the total number to 3,699.
It said that New Providence continues to lead the islands with the most cases, accounting for 2,625, followed by Grand Bahama with 625, Abaco 134 and 54 in Bimini.
The Ministry of Health also confirmed the death of a 50-year old male of New Providence, who passed died on Thursday, adding that three non-COVID-19 related deaths and one additional death under investigation have also been recorded.
“These unfortunate deaths decrease the number of deaths under investigation to 12, increase the number of non-COVID-19 deaths to 13, and tally the confirmed death toll at 86 “.
In Haiti, the Ministry of Public Health said 22 new cases of COVID -19 in the past 24 hours have pushed the total to 8,646 cases since the first case was recorded on March 19.
It said four new deaths were reported, three in the Center Department and the other in the West Department, bringing the national total to 225.
There are 1,870 active cases with the number of suspicious cases being investigated is 27,266.
Suriname’s coronavirus mortality rate has increased by one in the past 24 hours and stands at 10 and just like Guyana, September has become a deadly month for the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country with 31 deaths so far. Last month, the country recorded 45 deaths, making it the deadliest month to date.
Five of the ten positive tests in the past 24 hours were recorded in Paramaribo and Suriname has 109 active cases out of a total of 4,789.
“In the past 24 hours, eighteen patients were declared COVID-19-free, making the total of individuals cured 4,578. There are still 46 people in hospitals and five in intensive care units. Currently, there are 76 people who are not positive in quarantine. The number of positives in isolation is 66.”
In Belize, where the number of positive cases stands at 1,758, there were 52 new cases and 53 recoveries over the past 24 hours.
“We have two patients that remaining critically ill at KHMH’s ICU,”: the health authorities said, noting that there were 664 active cases. Belize has recorded 22 deaths.
“Our surveillance team has also picked up three cases of co-infection with dengue. This is something that had been described in the region and something we had been looking out for given the added layer of complication this can bring. We will continue to monitor these particular situations across the country,” the Ministry of Health added.
In Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Health said that 13 persons have tested positive for the virus, pushing the total to 4, 235.
The authorities said 2,121 of those cases are active and that the death toll has increased to 69 with two persons with underlining medical conditions succumbing to the virus.
Jamaica has recorded 135 new cases over the past 24 hours pushing the overall total to 5, 723.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness said there were three deaths, bringing the total to 80. It said the latest fatalities were between the ages of 46 to 84 years.
CMC
