Region 10 credits ‘COVID free’ status to aggressive testing

Jul 24, 2020 News

With 10 confirmed recoveries, Region 10 is currently boasting a ‘COVID free’ status. This has given credence to reports that the Region has been faring especially well in its fight against the disease.

Region 10 COVID-19 Coordinator, Dr. Michael Marks.

The state of the Region’s response was highlighted recently by its COVID-19 Coordinator, Dr. Michael Marks. According to Dr. Marks, aside from the one death, all of the other cases have recovered and there have been no new cases since.
A total of 126 persons have been tested from the region as the health department continues an aggressive approach to safeguard residents. Dr. Marks stressed that the efforts of all stakeholders continue to play a pivotal role in keeping the infection rate at a minimum, while ensuring that all health related precautions are taken.
“As a region we continue to do what is expected of us and that is why we operate with zeal and sincerity. Because for us, our objective is to ensure that we do not record any additional cases and more so, record any other death…so we will continue doing our part,” he said.
Head of the Regional Health Emergency Committee (RHEC), Orrin Gordon, noted that the vigilant effort of the Region to test has proven successful, given its current COVID-19 free status. “The records show that we are the only place which insists and tries to test persons who are returning to the region, and through those tests we were able to identify a positive case, and while we have been urging the National Task Force to institutionalize it, we are not sure if they will do so. But what I can say is that Region 10 will continue to make efforts to test,” he assured.

Health workers at Bamia tasked with screening persons as they enter the Region.

Mr. Gordon said that having recognized the impact that more persons being infected could have, the Region has been pulling out all stops to ensure that adequate and effective systems are in place to safeguard the health and safety of residents. He disclosed that efforts are continually being made to aggressively monitor Linden, Kwakwani, Ituni and several other communities including 47, 58, Mabura and Rockstone within Region 10.
“We will continue to do what we have to do and that is why we will continue to use whatever systems and avenues that are available to us. This will ensure that persons coming into the region from overseas are tested, thus, ensuring they are indeed safe and free of the disease,” the RHEC head said.
So far, persons returning to the Region have been very compliant and responsible although there have been a few who have demonstrated some initial reluctance, Gordon said. “It’s evident that because of the National Task Force policy of seven days home quarantine that some persons are not too keen on being tested but we have been meeting and discussing with them the reasons for such actions and they have been consenting to be tested,” Dr. Marks said.
He added, “We tested several persons who were in Suriname and 18 out of 20 persons who had returned from a cruise ship abroad, these tests were done incident-free as persons understood and actually agreed with our reasons for testing and are making themselves available.”
The Region 10 COVID-19 Coordinator admitted that while his role is challenging and poses some difficulties at times, he remains dedicated to ensuring that he completes the task entrusted to him. “There have been cases where I was threatened and had to notify the Police Commander but I am determined to get this job done as the hardest part is being able to empathize with persons as when you try, there is a lot you can achieve, ” he asserted.

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