Guyana records first case of Coronavirus

…woman back from New York dies at GPHC during treatment
…President discourages public gatherings, non-essential travel

By Navendra Seoraj
GUYANESE woman with travel history to the United States died at the Georgetown Public Hospital, Wednesday, from the dreaded coronavirus.

The 52-year-old Guyanese woman lived at Good Hope on the East Coast of Demerara and reportedly only recently returned from New York with family members.

President David Granger, in a statement on Wednesday, confirmed that the case of the 52-year-old woman was the first “imported case” of the COVID-19 in Georgetown. President Granger said the woman arrived in the country on March 5, 2020 and was presented to the public health system on March 10. At that time, she was found to have uncontrolled Diabetes and Hypertension, but subsequently died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) at 08:00hrs on March 11.

According to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The coronavirus outbreak originated in Wuhan, China, and has since spread to many other countries, including some in the Americas. Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, coughs, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Meanwhile, early in the day, on Wednesday, health authorities had said the woman also had flu-like symptoms and travelled from a “high risk” country, so that prompted them to conduct tests for the COVID-19, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), on Wednesday.

Assessment of victim’s home
A clinical sample was, as such, collected and sent at 10:00hrs on March 11, 2020 to the National Reference Laboratory where laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis at approximately 17:00hrs. Considering the victim’s positive diagnosis, President Granger said a team has been dispatched to the victim’s home for assessments and the initiation of public health prevention measures. As part of measures to prevent the risk of community spread, health authorities will be conducting identification and contact tracing for all possible exposed persons; conducting meetings with staff of GPHC and implementing necessary interventions.

“Screening remains in place for those persons arriving from high-risk countries. Seven countries – Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Brazil, French Guiana, Panama, St. Vincent and the United States of America – have been added to the list of eight (People’s Republic of China, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Iran) that was previously made public,” said President Granger. The President also advised against public gatherings and non-essential travel, and encouraged agencies to sensitise key personnel at all air and seaports so that they could be alert.

In the event of a suspected case reaching the shores of Guyana, the Ministry of Public Health has designated three quarantine facilities and will be identifying more, said President Granger. These facilities are expected to be efficient because Guyana already has the capacity to test for COVID-19, thanks to training provided by the Pan American Health Organisation.

Despite the preparatory work, government has started to assess the readiness of health facilities to meet the anticipated increase in demand of services and will continue to fill existing gaps by providing additional supplies and equipment through the public health ministry. As it is now, President Granger said the public health ministry has enough personal protective equipment in the country for health facilities and it also has adequate stores of respiratory medicine for the next three months.

“These efforts are supported by a communications campaign to keep the population updated on the virus and its impacts and oversight provided by the Health Emergency Operations Centre. The National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) will be activated to provide sector-wide support,” he said.

As a safeguard, the public health ministry has urged the public to adhere to infection prevention and control measures such as maintaining a distance of at least one metre from persons who are coughing or sneezing; performing hand hygiene frequently by washing hands thoroughly with soap and water or using a hand sanitizer; covering mouths and noses with a tissue when coughing; and resisting the habit to touch your face. In encouraging the public to practise these measures and stay calm, President Granger said: “I use this opportunity to appeal to the public to remain calm and to implement all the advisories relating to personal hygiene, social distancing and overall infection prevention and control. The Government of Guyana will continue to keep the public informed as we manage this public health challenge.”

All are involved
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, who spoke at a Coronavirus Symposium on Wednesday, said the task of ensuring that persons remain safe from the virus does not rest solely on the public health ministry, since it will require a multi-stakeholder approach.
“The private sector, other ministries and all citizens have to demonstrate the will and national spirit so that mobilisation is concerted and there is a collective effort,” said Minister Lawrence in her address to stakeholders who were present at the symposium which was held at the National Cultural Centre.

She charged persons to be responsible and to not take the disease lightly, noting that COVID-19 is a “real threat”. The New York Times had reported that more than 114,000 cases of infection have been reported globally, and more than 4,000 people have died.
But the global count of at least 114,000 cases also includes more than 64,000 people who have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
“This is not an issue which will disappear at a flash… we have evidence that it is on a rampage…it has a foothold in several countries across the world,” said Minister Lawrence, noting that Guyana is, however, not at the mercy of the virus because the decisions taken here will influence the trajectory of the disease. In referring to the WHO’s declaration that COVID-19 could be the first pandemic in history that can be controlled, Minister Lawrence said Guyana must do its part by mobilizing and uniting to fight against the virus. She believes that everyone will be at risk if Guyanese fail to rally together, but the elderly and children, who are more vulnerable, will be affected the most.

NECESSARY MEASURES
Resident Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO)/WHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, however, believes that Guyana will have the virus under wraps, but will have to take the necessary measures to ensure Guyanese stay safe.
Countries like Italy and Lebanon, which have recorded cases of COVD-19, have implemented extreme travel restrictions so as to ensure that they get a handle on the situation. “Sometimes we need to take measures that may not sound right, but they have to be taken to protect the people of Guyana,” said Dr. Adu-Krow during his remarks at the symposium.

There are 28 persons being monitored locally, said Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud. Since the public health ministry started its port monitoring campaign in January, some 97 persons have been monitored. According to Dr. Persaud, 64 of those persons were from China while 34 persons were from other high-risk countries. With the exception of the woman who died on Wednesday, he said all of the persons, who were monitored so far, tested negative for the Coronavirus.

As word broke of the first local case, there was a mad rush at local pharmacies for various preventative medication and disinfectants. The Guyana Chronicle visited several pharmacies and was told that most if not all of their sanitizers, masks, and disinfectants were sold out.