Eight Presidential Guards test positive for Covid-19

May 21, 2020 News

Eight ranks from the Presidential Guard Unit are now in quarantine after they recently tested positive for Covid-19.

Table posted by the Ministry of Public Health tallying the Number of Confirmed Coronavirus cases as of May 20

According to a statement from the Police Public Relations Department, officials from the Ministry of Public Health carried out random testing exercises on ranks from the unit.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Police Force stressed that the ranks are not responsible for personally protecting the president.
He explained that their roles are to guard the president’s office, his residence and state house.
A statement released by the Ministry of the Presidency also echoed the PRO’s advisory that President David Granger was not in contact with the eight ranks who have now tested positive. The statement iterated that the Uniform Section is not part of the protective arm of the President. It also stated that the President has been working remotely for some time now and has not been in the presence of these guards, who are normally stationed at the President’s office on Vlissengen Road.
It was also advised that these are not new cases but cases that have already been recorded by the Ministry of Public Health.
In just a matter of two days Guyana’s confirmed Coronavirus cases have jumped from 117 cases to 125.
On May 16th, The Ministry of Public Health reported on its Facebook page that there were 117 confirmed cases in Guyana. However in a subsequent report on May 18th that number rose significantly to 124 cases. One more case was added to the list on May 19th bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Guyana to 125.