Key Points

• The regional trend worsened last week, with a 7-day rolling incidence of 244 cases per 100,000 residents based on data from three days ago. This represents a 13% increase. The downward trend that had been underway for over a month has come to a halt.

• The regional 7-day positivity rate is rising to 9% (+3 percentage points).

• The effective R stood at 1.13 last week, significantly different from 1 and on the rise.

• This deterioration is clear on the island of Cayenne (329 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) and in Savanes, while the incidence remains stable on the western coast at 186 per 100,000 inhabitants.

• Furthermore, local transmission of the Delta variant began in week 29 on the island of Cayenne and in Savanes, while the Gamma variant still accounts for the vast majority of detections.

• Admissions to intensive care have started to rise again, with 22 admissions compared to 12 the previous week, representing a rapid increase. General hospitalizations remained stable at a high level.

• These figures indicate that the wave linked to the Gamma variant has not yet ended after four months, and that the Delta variant is beginning to take hold.

• The total number of deaths since March 2020 stands at 184.

• One in four Guyanese eligible for vaccination has now received at least one dose. One in three people aged 50–74, and one in four people aged 75 and older, is now fully vaccinated.

• Vaccination prevents more than 90% of severe cases and more than 80% of symptomatic cases, even with the Delta variant. It is our best ally in the current difficult situation.