– latest victims from Regions 2, 3, 4, 7
– Opposition blasts Gov’t over poor management of the pandemic
The Ministry of Health has announced the death of four persons from COVID-19 taking the death toll to 102 while the number of confirmed cases stand at 3358.
According to the Ministry, two 57-year-old men from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) respectively, a 43-year-old man from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), and a 28-year-old male from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) all of whom tested positive for the virus, died while receiving treatment at a health institution.
The death toll now stands at 102, while number of confirmed cases have long surpassed the 3,000 mark.
While the Health Ministry, under the stewardship of Dr. Frank Anthony, said it regretted to inform the nation of the latest fatalities, the main parliamentary opposition – the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) said the rapid increase in the number of deaths and confirmed cases of the virus is as a result of the Government’s poor handling of the pandemic.
“The PPP has demonstrated its incapacity and incompetence in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of confirmed cases, now 3,329 is soaring every day and we now have almost 100 deaths, moving from 21 on August 2nd to 98 as of [Friday],” APNU+AFC Member of Parliament Coretta McDonald said on Friday.
At the time, she was speaking during a virtual press conference called by Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon.
McDonald said the decision by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government to reopen the airports to international travel with effect from October 12, will only compound the situation.
According to her, such a move, will only lead to an even more rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Guyana, thereby putting undue burden on the country’s healthcare sector.
“…Our health system is already under immense stress dealing with the current active cases, with the ICU at the GPHC full to capacity and patients who need ICU care being turned away,” McDonald told reporters.
The Parliamentary Opposition said attitude shown by the Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and his Government toward the loss of life will not be tolerated. Jagdeo when asked about the growing numbers of death had said “is just the reality”.
“This is the height of disregard for human life by Jagdeo and the PPP. They are clueless in managing the pandemic and are dismissing the loss of human life as “just the reality”. Jagdeo and the PPP do not care for human life, they do not care about the health and wellbeing of Guyanese. They are playing politics with the lives of Guyanese,” McDonald said.
She said the numbers will only decline if the PPP/C Government resume the intense public education and public awareness campaigns which were initiated under the APNU+AFC government.
“We once again offer our services and expertise in joining with the government to help bring the spread of COVID-19 under control,” she said.
A RECKLESS ACT
Further, the opposition denounced the decision by the Government to dismantle the rotation system in public offices. Reports suggest that public servants have been asked to resume normal duty notwithstanding the increase in the number of cases as a result of the pandemic.
“This is irresponsible, reckless and endangers the lives of every public servant, every member of their families and households and everyone who they come into contact with,” McDonald said while questioning the reason behind the push to have public servants return to work in the middle of a pandemic.
McDonald explained that in addition to the health risks, the move will place greater burden on parents, whose children are at home as a result of the closure of schools and day care facilities. The APNU+AFC is calling on the PPP/C administration to revert to the rotation system for public servants with immediate effect.
