With neighbouring Brazil reporting its first case of the new coronavirus, Guyana continues to step up monitoring in the border regions and at the ports of entry.

Today Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence said Guyana has all systems in place to deal with any case of the coronavirus, reminding that Guyana remains free from the deadly virus.

Earlier today, the Health Ministry in Brazil reported that a 61-year-old man who returned to Brazil from Italy had tested positive for the coronavirus. He has since been quarantined.

Guyana’s Minister of Public Health today assured that Guyana has stepped up surveillance and the monitoring of travellers.

She said that, “As we have indicated before, we have stepped up our surveillance. We have identified sites for the housing of patients, should we need to do that. Just this morning we had another review of the systems in place and we have made some recommendations. In terms of the Human Resources, we have placed Human Resources at all of our entry points, Moleson Creek, Eugene Correia International Airport, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, and the Lethem crossing. Even our port authority in Georgetown we have stepped up the number of personnel which we have there and so we have been able to address those issues.” 

While the coronavirus was first reported in China, it has since spread to several other countries.

Minister Lawrence confirmed that last week the Ministry concluded training at the National Reference Lab for testing for the virus.

The Public Health Ministry, she noted has been preparing its personnel to properly deal with the coronavirus and they remain on high alert.

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