COVID-19 cases increase across the region
KINGSTON, Jamaica— Several countries in the region have seen an increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours.
In Guyana, the Ministry of Public Health recorded 83 new COVID-19 cases; the highest to be recorded this week.
The new cases take the overall total to 3,960 with 2,923 having recovered. The death toll stands at 117.
The ministry said there are 13 persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 112 persons on institution isolation and 795 persons on home isolation. There are 40 persons from institutional quarantine.
In Suriname, the only positive COVID-19 case reported Friday evening has been registered in Wanica district. Of the 76 people who were tested for the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, 75 were negative. Suriname has 5,155 infections, including 36 active cases.
In the past 24 hours, another 15 people were declared cured, pushing the figure to 5,010.
For the eighth consecutive day there has been no change in the death rate, which stands at 109.
There are also 23 people in hospitals, six in the intensive care unit and 21 in isolation. The number of people in quarantine increased from 185 Thursday to 365 Friday evening.
A 32-year-old male visitor, who arrived on British Airways on October 9, has become Barbados’ latest positive COVID-19 case.
The authorities said that the visitor, who was not identified tested positive after a second test and that the number of persons in isolation remain at 11, and recoveries have increased to 208. There are now 227 recorded cases.
Meanwhile, Grenada has confirmed that a French national who arrived there on a private carrier has tested positive for the virus.
The Ministry of Health said Saturday that the 32-year-old man had arrived there on October 16 and tested positive after a second test.
It said he has been in quarantine and that the other passengers on the plane have all tested negative.
The ministry also announced that three other persons tested positive for the virus earlier this week and are still in quarantine.
“While our defence systems are proving to be effective in catching and isolating the disease at our borders and on our shores we can never be too confident. As we have seen one misstep can have catastrophically rippling effects throughout our small population. We must work together, if we are to ultimately win the battle against the deadly disease,” the ministry said in the statement.