PARAMARIBO, Suriname (CMC) — Suriname recorded its fourth death this month from the coronavirus (COVID-19) as the number of positive cases in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOIM) country reached 177 after 21 new ones were reported late Monday.

Director of Public Health, Cleopatra Jessurun, said as on previous occasions, the names or gender of the victims would not be disclosed out of respect for the family.

So far, five people have died from the virus since the first death occurred on April 3.

Last weekend, President Desi Bouterse issued a decree as the country recorded more cases of the virus, allowing law enforcement authorities to detain persons caught breaking the measures, including the curfew, aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.

Official figures show that there are now 229 active cases here with 253 people placed in quarantine.

Jessurun told reporters on Monday night “I want to reassure people; there will certainly be monitoring of patients who are discharged or who are positive. We always try to guarantee everyone’s healthcare”.

The director of public health said that before the weekend the testing capacity of the Central Laboratory of the Public Health Service (BOG) had increased to 5,000 and appealed to the population to continue to follow the guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.