Major construction work is currently underway at the former Ocean View International Hotel, which was scouted as one of the locations to be set up to house COVID-19 patients.
Last Saturday during a virtual press conference Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, who sits as Chairman of Guyana’s National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), stated that the government was looking at the former hotel to be used as a dedicated facility for the isolation, quarantine or medical treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Earlier in the week, major works started at the facility located at Liliendaal along the East Coast of Demerara as a number of workers were seen at the site. No word has been given by the Ministry of Public Health or the NCTF as to whether the building was bought, rented or leased to be used for the intended purpose.
When Stabroek News made a visit to the facility on Tuesday, a number of trucks and construction workers were observed at the site. It was noted by officials on site at the time of the visit that the process to convert the former hotel into a health care facility is expected to take just over five weeks. At that time, vehicles belonging to two different construction companies were observed on site as workers were seen removing tiles, bedding materials, tables and what appeared to be ceiling pieces.
Last week the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/ WHO) made suggestions for the establishment of a specific COVID-19 hospital in light of the projected 20,000 cases of the disease in the country by early May. Chairman of the NCTF, Nagamootoo previously stated that the government is looking to establish facilities for a minimum of 1,000 should the situation worsen in Guyana.
Nagamootoo said that the Ocean View Hotel building will have 300 beds.
