Another COVID-19 case confirmed; number at 75 – Health Ministry

Apr 29, 2020 News

Guyana has recorded yet another case of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) bringing the total confirmed cases linked to the disease at 75, the Public Health Ministry reported.
Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton, Director of Primary Health Care Services, who yesterday delivered the update on behalf of Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, reported that an additional 14 persons have been subjected to the COVID-19 test which brings the total number to 478.
Dr. Hamilton was keen to highlight that the number of negative cases increased to 403 while the COVID-19-related deaths remained at eight.
Additional, five persons remain in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while 19 persons are in institutional quarantine and 52 in isolation facilities.
“Of the 478 persons tested, 240 representing 53% of the positive cases are males and 238 representing 47% of the positives tested are females,” Dr. Hamilton said.
For the global report, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 2,878,196 confirmed cases with 198,668 deaths. In the Region of the Americas the number of confirmed cases is 1,140,520 with 58,492 deaths.
Meanwhile, reporting on the impact of COVID-19 on persons with underlying conditions was Dr. Aneisha Moore-Thorne, a Family Medicine Specialist attached to the Buxton Health Centre. Dr. Moore-Thorne in her report addressed those Hypertensive patients who are at an increased risk of developing the most complicated form of the COVID-19.
“Hypertension or High Blood Pressure, as it is commonly known is a disease that commonly affects the middle aged and elderly populations. Since Hypertension is more common as people grow older, that means many of the same people with High Blood Pressure already overlap with the elderly population known to be at risk for contracting COVID-19 and for developing the very severe complications of the disease should they contract it.”
According to her, persons with hypertension can follow several simple directives to decrease their risk of contracting the virus.
“Apart from the COVID-19 guidelines set by the Public Health Ministry, it is important to keep monitoring your blood pressure, as far as you are able and is possible. Maintain a healthy lifestyle – i.e. exercise for at least 30 minutes, at least 3 times per week and eat a balanced diet, low in salt and oils.”
Additional, Dr. Moore-Thorne encouraged hypertensive persons to avoid stressful situations, or if unavoidable, manage them well to keep their blood pressure at a normal level.

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