Laurel Sutherland

Limited public awareness campaigns on COVID-19 have been done in Moraikobai, in Region Five since the start of the pandemic and the sudden increase of COVID-19 cases in the isolated community is a result of residents’ skepticism about the virus’s presence in the village as majority of them who tested positive are asymptomatic.

In the wake of Moraikobai in Region Five being declared a COVID-19 hotspot, a medical team is to be deployed there today but the head of the community has lamented poor communication on the virus from the authorities.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai on Wednesday officially removed Marbel Thomas from her position as Toshao of Campbelltown, in Region Eight, saying that the investigation into the Village Council revealed that she breached several sections of the 2006 Amerindian Act (AA).

Although no substantial evidence emerged from an investigation into alleged financial misconduct at the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation’s Asphalt Plant, the probe team says that they found poor internal controls which need to be bolstered in order to prevent the multiple discrepancies that were unearthed.

Being part of the team tasked with developing a COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer and BioNTech was no easy feat for Guyanese-born scientist Vidia Roopchand, who faced numerous stressors, including the loss of his mother as he was in the midst of his work, but did not lose hope.

He may not yet be a household name as yet but you’ve probably seen Randy Fredericks’ work.

A 50-year-old Triumph, East Coast Demerara resident is now dead after he was chopped to death by a friend during an argument at his home yesterday.

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Guyana yesterday launched its toll-free 914 emergency hotline number which persons can call to report domestic and sexual violence and also ask for assistance.

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.

Following an allegation that the Village Council of Campbelltown has been preventing residents from mining, Minister of Amerindian Affairs (MoAA) Pauline Sukhai has taken the decision to suspend Toshao Marbel Thomas until an investigation into the matter is completed.

The Village Council of Warapoka is hoping to impose a two-week lockdown on the indigenous community, which now accounts for the highest number of active COVID-19 cases in Region One.

The disruption of gold mining operations in Campbelltown, in Region Eight, is beginning to affect the livelihoods of residents who depend on mining as their main source of income, according to Toshao Marbel Thomas.

Toshao Learmond Emmanuel is worried that the indigenous community of Waramuri will become the next COVID-19 hotspot in Region One after three persons who were infected with the virus died days apart from each other.

Less than a day after members of her family were told that they were all infected with COVID-19, a 74-year-old woman succumbed yesterday at the Wismar Hospital in Linden.

Relatives of 66-year-old Janis Pritchard, who died after spending approximately 10 days in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), believe that families should be provided with daily updates on patients’ condition.

As a result of severe flooding along the coast yesterday triggered by heavy rain, Prime Minister Mark Phillips has directed the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to partially activate the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC).

Faced with a petition for her removal due to the disruption of mining activities, the toshao of Campbelltown, in Region Eight, has said the village council has acted on the guidance of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), which found the operations unsafe.

With novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases continuing to rapidly increase in Kwebanna, the Region One community’s Village Council has decided to impose a two-week lockdown in an attempt to curb infections.

Hospital workers are expected to follow standard precautions while ensuring that patients receive immediate treatment for their illnesses regardless of whether they were tested for COVID-19 or not, according to Guyana’s newly-appointed Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr.

Paul Pierre, the Deputy Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), is among dozens of persons who tested positive for COVID-19 in the indigenous community of Kwebanna, which has since become a COVID-19 hotspot in Region One.