PARAMARIBO, Suriname (CMC) — Suriname recorded two deaths from the coronavirus (COVID-19) in two days, as other Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries also reported deaths and increased positive cases from the virus over the past 24 hours.

The Ministry of Health here said that the total number of deaths in the Dutch-speaking Caricom country is now 111.

The country hass 37 active cases, after seven infections were reported in the past 24 hours, mainly in the capital, Paramaribo, as well as Wanica.

“Nineteen people are in hospital and four in intensive care units. Two people were declared cured, bringing the total to 5,039. Furthermore, there are 23 positives in isolation and 296 non-positives in quarantine,” the authorities said.

In Guyana, two deaths pushed the total there to 121.

The Ministry of Health said the two deaths were of an 82-year-old man and an 81-year-old woman, both from Region Four.

It said that there were 35 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the overall total to 4, 061.

There are nine patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 88 in institutional isolation and 814 in home isolation. An additional 33 are in institutional quarantine. To date 3,030 have recovered.

The Belizean health authorities said 32 new cases were recorded over the past 24 hours and that there have been 14 recoveries “so that 35.1 per cent of our cases remain active”.                                                                        

Belize has 3,232 positive cases with 1,136 being active. It has recorded 51 deaths. One patient remains intubated in hospital.

In Trinidad and Tobago, there have been 33 new cases of COVID-19, with the total number of active cases dropping to 1,276.

The Health Ministry’s release said no new deaths have been reported, the toll remaining at 106.

It said 10 people have been discharged from public health facilities and that there are 50 recovered community cases. There are 62 people in hospitals.

The total number of cases since March is 5,568 and there are now 4,186 recovered patients.

St Lucia has recorded two more cases of the virus, as health authorities express concern that citizens were still showing scant disregard for the measures and protocols put in place to stem the spread of the disease.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness said the new cases bring the total number of cases diagnosed in country to date to 65, with 38 being active.,

Among the two new cases is a 15-year-old girl from the capital, Castries and the ministry said that both new cases have been placed in quarantine while awaiting the results from their tests. One of the cases is linked to a previous positive case.

“It is important to note that we are all vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus no matter our age, gender, place of residence, or employment status. This virus can be contracted by anyone. However, by each person constantly keeping on guard and adhering to the guidelines for the prevention of infection, it is possible to,” said chief medical officer, Dr Sharon Belmar-George.               

She told a news conference that health authorities are concerned that people who may have symptoms of COVID-19 are ignoring their advice by.

breaching home quarantine and not adhering to protocols that require the wearing of masks, physical distancing and hand washing.

“The other issue which I have to point out, and we have been seeing quite a bit in the last few weeks, is the fact that people are symptomatic and they go to work, go to the banks, go to the stores, they go to public places,” Belmar-George said,

“We need for every single person to be vigilant in terms of somebody coming to work, coming to school, coming to the bank with a bad cough or with fever or being sick,” she said, warning that to do otherwise puts the country at high risk of transmission.