As of Friday, Guyana is again placed under confinement for 17 days due to the "deterioration" of the health situation in the territory, announced Thursday, May 13, the prefecture.

This confinement will extend for a little more than two weeks, from Friday May 14 to Sunday May 30 inclusive, according to a press release from the prefecture.

On this overseas territory of nearly 300,000 inhabitants, the incidence is 346 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 7 rolling days, according to the latest data from the Regional Health Agency (ARS).

>> To see: Covid-19 in Guyana: the department strongly affected by the Brazilian variant

For Guyanese people, this will be semi-confinement: schools and nurseries will remain open, but bars, restaurants, cinemas, public swimming pools (except for schools) will have to close their doors.

Travel will again be subject to certification.

When it comes to outdoor walks, the 10 km rule, and no more than an hour, also applies, authorities said.

Gatherings of more than six people are also prohibited and are in addition to the curfew already in force from Saturday evening to Monday morning.

"Strong increase in contamination" among 10-19 year olds

The teachers' union Unsa Guyane reacted by press release to the announcements and demanded "the closure" of schools while the re-containment is taking place in this territory where half of the inhabitants are under 25 years old.

"Let senior officials come up with real solutions rather than using education as a band-aid," the union said.

The prefect argued Wednesday evening that the contaminations would be "stronger" in the family circle.

Among 10-19 year olds, "contaminations are on the rise" with an incidence of 379/100 000 last week, according to data from the health authorities.

A 19-year-old patient was still in intensive care on Wednesday according to the ARS.

"A new increase in contaminations, admissions to hospitalization and intensive care has begun" and the "trend" is "strongly upward" in this territory, where the South African and Brazilian variants circulate, noted the prefecture.

On Thursday, the intensive care beds were nearly 69% occupied (24/35).

AFP has recorded 113 deaths due to Covid-19 (including those cross-checked at home) since the first in Guyana, on April 20, 2020.

In recent days, a "military resuscitation module" of 6 beds as well as 35 professionals have arrived in support of the hospital teams.

With AFP

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