Suriname Health Minister worried at sharp increase in COVD infections

(Caribbean Media Corporation) – Health Minister Amar Ramadhin has thanked healthcare workers for their “tireless efforts and energy” to deal with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as the death toll in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country jumped to 819 on Tuesday.

“We are seeing a sharp increase in infections and that a number of people are getting into serious health problems and need to be hospitalised,” Ramadhin said in a video message, acknowledging that the sector is under pressure.

He said that the healthcare workers are overwhelmed by illness which only increases the pressure on that sector.

But despite the situation, Ramadhin made an urgent national appeal to all doctors, nurses and health care providers to contact the ministry if they wish to be deployed in the COVID-19 battle.

“I call on all general practitioners, who still have a little time in the midst of busy general practices, to contact the ministry,” he said, urging also medical students to contribute to the effort.

“Healthcare workers are becoming exhausted. We have to see how we can keep the gap that will arise if those workers are absent. I call for a joint effort to win the fight against COVID-19,” said the minister.

Meanwhile, latest figures released here, show that 547 new cases had been confirmed from 1, 433 tests conducted over the past 24 hours.

The authorities said that five people had died from the virus, pushing the total for the month of September so far to  98 and the total number of corona deaths since March last year to 819.

There are now 105 people hospitalised, 19 of whom are in the ICU. 83 people have been declared cured. The authorities said 38,137 people have tested positive for the coronavirus since March last year with 26,806 having recovered. Currently, 5,515 people who have tested positive are in isolation.

Source: CARICOM TODAY