With 12 deaths, 183 cases and 2,048 tests done up to Saturday, the Ministry of Public Health continues to face questions about its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

No COVID-19 testing was done on Friday and Saturday due to “problems” at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL), Stabroek News was told.

The St Joseph Mercy Hospital has its own PCR machine and the Public Health Ministry should have been able to make an arrangement with it to enable continuous testing.

It is unclear what the Public Health Ministry has instructed in relation to acquiring samples for testing following deaths particularly of the elderly and those with chronic underlying diseases.

In line with World Health Organisation warnings, there can be no letting down of the guard against the Coronavirus and where new cases are discovered there must be aggressive contact tracing, testing and the requisite facilities to ensure adequate treatment and isolation.