Recent COVID-19 death points to delay in seeking treatment, Region Ten Chairman says

Deron Adams

The recent COVID-19 death in Region Ten has signalled to regional officials that many persons infected with the virus are refusing to seek medical treatment until it is too late.

Five COVID-19 deaths have been reported in the Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice region with the most recent one being a 31-year-old woman, who the Ministry of Health (MoH) said died while receiving care at a facility.

Stabroek News was told that upon realisation that the woman was ill, family members tried giving her herbal medicine in hopes that it would cure her. However, the concoction that was used did not work and it was only when the young woman went into respiratory distress that they decided to take her to hospital. It was too late, however, and the woman died shortly after being admitted to a hospital in Linden. Stabroek News was able to confirm that the deceased did suffer from a pre-existing condition which made her more vulnerable to the virus.