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Social Protection Ministry moves to contain COVID-19 outbreak at Palms
– as four more residents test positive
The Ministry of Social Protection is teaming up with the Ministry of Public Health in a bid to contain an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Palms Elderly Care home.
Palms Elderly Care home
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Social Protection, the agency has been working diligently in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health in implementing protocols to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus within the care home.
The statement confirmed, however, that despite the efforts of the Ministry, between May 1 and May 14, 2020, five residents –four males and one female and one patient care assistant have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus at the Palms Elderly Care Facility.
“Regrettably, one male resident has died. The Ministry hereby extends condolences to his relatives and friends,” the statement added.
At the interim, the Social Protection Ministry has taken a certain course of action to manage and mitigate the possible threat of an outbreak at the Palms.
As a result of the new precautionary measures, the facility has banned all visitors entering the compound. According to the release “All staffers at the institution have been equipped with protective equipment to perform their duties.”
“Those residents who have tested positive for the virus have been separated from other residents and are being cared for in a separate area of the home.
The ward, which housed the positive cases, and associated areas are sanitized twice daily. Contact between residents on a ward has been limited as much as possible through the restriction of movement on the ward and increasing bed spacing as much as possible,” the statement outlined.
Further, the Ministry added that all residents on affected wards are tested and a stringent screening routine for staff upon entering the facility has been implemented.
“This includes checking body temperature and interview regards to respiratory symptoms. Hand hygiene upon entering facility is mandatory and staffers have been encouraged to stay at home and contact the hotline and the Ministry if they experience COVID-19 symptoms,” it was noted.
The Ministry of Social Protection also assured it continues to be guided by the protocols established by the Ministry of Public Health and will continue to take steps necessary for the protection of residents, care personnel and staff at the Palms Elderly Care Facility.
The Ministry revealed too that a list of primary and secondary contacts of positive cases has been compiled, and is under constant review.
“The primary contacts were placed in home quarantine and samples were taken for testing. These persons will be followed up by the surveillance team who will assist in contact tracing.
Ward cleaning practices have been optimized, and use of facemasks at all times by staff as well as residents as applicable made mandatory. The remaining renovation of a ward will be accelerated and this area will be used as an isolation facility,” the Social Protection stated.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) within the Public Health Ministry, Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle in the daily COVID-19 update noted that one more person has recovered from the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) bringing the total to 42.
She noted that since March 11, Guyana has been confirmed to have 113 COVID-19 cases.
“No new cases were recorded today. Of these 113 cases, only 61 are active cases with Guyana having recorded 10 deaths and 42 recoveries,” she said.
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