Bandits yesterday morning broke into the home of the Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) family who are currently in isolation after they tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The incident, which occurred sometime between 3am and 7am yesterday, provoked concern from the family about the police’s reported assurance to the family that they would secure their Phase One, Good Hope, ECD property, before the family was taken into isolation at a facility set up by the Ministry of Public Health. Prior to being mandatorily quarantined, members of the family had, against the advice of medical authorities, mingled freely with members of the public.
One of the relatives, Suraj Baboolall, yesterday explained to Stabroek News that he was informed that the bandits gained entry into the heavily grilled house through a back door at the lower flat of the house.
“So basically what these guys [bandits] did is that they went into the house from the back door. Although it was bolted, they went in from the back and then they screw the bulbs off from the lights and then they went in and [took] whatever they took and then they came out from the front door because the door was ajar. The front door has a padlock but the bottom has a bolt at the side, it was ajar,” Baboolall told Stabroek News in a telephone interview.
Up to yesterday, he said, it was unclear what was taken from the property. However, he claimed that there was a lot of valuables and he believes that a lot was stolen.
Baboolall said his brother, who builds furniture, had a lot of his equipment stored in the lower flat of the house. There was also cash, jewellery and important documents such as their passports. “I am pretty sure that they took a lot of stuff,” he said.
He further related that neighbours recalled hearing sounds coming from the house but they did not immediately check due to the time. However, hours after, when they checked, they made the discovery.
“My neighbour son said that he heard a glass broke and he was scared to go out but another one of my neighbour, she said she heard the dogs barking about three o’clock,” Baboolall said.
Baboolall and three other immediate family members are currently in isolation after they tested positive for the virus, days after March 11th, when Guyana confirmed its first case of COVID-19.
The first victim is Baboolall’s relative, a 52-year-old woman who travelled from the United States and arrived in the country on March 5th. She was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital on the afternoon of March 10th at around 5pm and while she was there, she presented uncontrollable diabetic and hypertension conditions, which saw her having to be resuscitated.
The COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed thousands of lives worldwide and the United Nations has called for tougher measures to be implemented in Guyana to combat the spread of the disease.
Main concern
According to Baboolall, the family’s main concern after they were informed that they will be placed in isolation was the security of their property.
“Originally, when they said that they were going to bring us to the location, they said that they will provide security because we know that the community that we are living in, there are lot of young teen guys who would usually go into people yard and steal their stuff…there is a lot of robberies there,” he said.
“They told us that police is going to be there…they said the police is going to be there to patrol and then they are going to get a police [officer] for a permanent post to sit there in the night to make sure that no one breaks into the building and that’s the assurance that was given,” Baboolall added.
Contacted yesterday, Regional Commander Assistant Commissioner Royston Andries-Junor confirmed the incident, while noting that an investigation has since been launched.
“All we can say right now is that it [the home] was broken into. That they took stuff? We don’t know. What they take? We don’t know if they took anything,” he said.
He noted that the police are searching the area for surveillance footage.
Andries-Junor explained that since the family went into isolation, there were regular patrols on the streets, particularly around the property. The last of these patrols, he said, was up to 3:30am yesterday.
“We did had a patrol…we patrol, everything did going well. 3:30 this morning [yesterday] we patrol…the patrol was always there making records and stuff…the patrol was always there checking day and night,” he said.
Andries-Junor added that there was no instruction for a rank to be stationed at the house until the family is out of isolation. “We patrol the street…the practical thing was not to put a police [officer] at that house immediately but I did had a patrol and the patrol was going well up to this morning [yesterday] 3:30[am], nothing was there,” he noted.
Meantime, Baboolall said that when they were informed that they had to move away from home, they were not even given enough time to safeguard their belongings.
“When they told us that they want to move us, they told us less than 12 hours [before] that they are moving us so we didn’t had a lot of time to clear. They were going to move us the same night within half an hour and we said you guys have to give us time to clear. So 12 hours trying to put stuff away, we didn’t had enough time to put a lot of stuff away, but we were given the assurance and that’s how my family came; they were confident that the police department would be taking care of the property,” Baboolall related.
Isolation
Baboolall observed that yesterday marked 12 days since they have been in isolation.
He explained that they were initially tested on March 13th and the results the following day showed they were positive for COVID-19.
To date, Baboolall said, neither he nor any of his relatives are convinced that they have the virus since they have not showed any signs or symptoms of it. “…No one has shown any symptoms, no one is sick. We are literally all healthy; is just that the little stress that we are getting but other than my dad coughs because he smokes, but even my brother, myself and the other person that was tested positive is literally showing no symptoms…So this is where we start doubting, our doubts are coming in. Do we really have this virus?” he said.
For persons isolated for the 14-day period, if no new symptoms develop within three days prior to the 15th day, Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence has said they will be tested twice in 24 hours.
If the results return positive, they will remain in further isolation and if negative they will be cleared.
“After the 14 days of quarantine, persons will be evaluated by a medical officer and based on the review will be cleared or placed on additional days of quarantine. If cleared, they will be reevaluated after seven days,” Lawrence had said on Thursday, while providing an update on the virus, as she explained the steps to be taken after quarantine.
Baboolall related that they were scheduled to undergo further testing yesterday to determine whether they are cleared of the virus or needed to be placed in further isolation.
He further explained that throughout the isolation period, he and his family have been trying to remain calm despite dealing with the daily stress that comes with the situation and coping with the death of a family member.
However, he said, the break-in at their home has now made them frustrated, as he expressed that they are worried that there might be another attempt.
“It is frustrating…we are scared that someone else may break into the home again…They want us here but it’s time for them to start taking responsibility of protecting our property,” Baboolall said.
He related that the positive cases are being housed in a separate room from those under quarantine.
Baboolall rated the facility they are being kept at, at 60 on a scale of 100.
He said they are being provided with their basic needs, including groceries so that they can prepare their meals on a daily basis.
“Its 60 per cent okay. I mean there is a bed, there is [a] bathroom, there is water and we also cook ourselves….the four positive [cases] in one room and the negatives are in another. They come and they make a list with stuff that we need and they bring it for us,” Baboolall said.
He urged persons to take the necessary precautions and to remain indoors in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Baboolall said that while this will be a challenging task for many, it is one of the factors that is needed in an effort to fight the global pandemic.
