Further spike in COVID-19 cases could “break” our medical system

Sep 22, 2020 News

– Emergency Medicine Specialist

Social distancing is one of the key tactics being pushed to combat the spread of the very contagious COVID-19 disease. So, it is no surprise that recent protests have caused much worry among those within our health care system.

Emergency Medicine Specialist, Dr. Zulfikar Bux.

The protests, mainly on the West Coast of Berbice, were spurred by the killings of teenage cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry, whose mutilated bodies were found in a Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice backdam.
“The protest actions, especially in Region Five, were the most reckless acts thus far. While we were all aggrieved, our demonstrations were reckless and irresponsible and we only have ourselves to blame should this pandemic get out of control in Guyana,” said Dr. Bux.
Drawing attention to the possible fallout from the protests, Dr. Zulfikar Bux, a weekly contributor to this newspaper, said, “I had pleaded previously for us to not gather in crowds to celebrate or protest the outcome of the elections. My plea was because of what I knew and what I’m seeing daily with this pandemic.”
According to the Emergency Medicine Specialist, the coronavirus causing disease is one that “loves gatherings” since this is the best medium for it to spread and quickly cause a surge in cases. Moreover, transmission in a protesting crowd can become especially easy, Dr. Bux explained, because persons may find it inconvenient to wear a mask while they try to voice their concerns. The heat of the day, the doctor noted too, can be a deterrent to adherence as well.
“Others tend to wipe their faces of sweat given the high temperatures and tense nature of the surroundings. All of these are factors that hasten the spread of the coronavirus from person to person. I worry that we will be seeing a surge in infections this week from the places where the protests occurred. This surge will spill over and hasten the spread of the infection throughout the country,” said Dr. Bux.
And should there be an unprecedented spread of the disease, Dr. Bux added, “I fear that it will break our medical system and many more lives will be lost.”
Of the more than 2,000 positive cases, Guyana has recorded just over 60 deaths to date.
According to the medical practitioner, with the majority of positive cases recovering it could be deduced that the country is faced with a milder form of the disease. While most people’s immune system may prove strong enough to fight off this, there are others who may not be so lucky, said Dr. Bux. Some asymptomatic persons, he theorized, can expose their relatives and friends including “the elderly and those with other medical conditions” who could become indirect casualties of COVID-19 acquired during protest actions.
Since early August Guyana has been witnessing an alarming increase in cases suggesting an extraordinary spread of the disease.
Even as he anticipated a further surge in cases, Dr. Bux said, “It’s fair to say that everyone that gathered at the protests is now at risk of having COVID-19.”
And should a spike in cases materialize in the coming days, it could easily overwhelm the medical system, Dr. Bux has concluded.
“If we continue to destroy the environment that we depend on for our survival, then there will come a point where each and every one of us cannot thrive,” he added.
As such, surviving the disease, he underscored, is dependent on sensible people working together in a responsible way to “fight the virus”.

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