Now that there are at least nine active cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Santa Rosa, the Village Council has decided to restrict travel to and from the Region One community for a six-week period.
Secretary of the Santa Rosa Village Council Debidi Williams told Stabroek News that the measure is being taken to ensure that no one else from the community contracts the disease.
Thus far Region One has recorded 11 confirmed cases of the deadly respiratory disease. The first confirmed case, which was recorded in Mabaruma, has since become a recovered case.
Ten of the confirmed coronavirus cases are from Santa Rosa. On May 21st, Santa Rosa recorded its first case. The patient is said to be asymptomatic. A few days later, 59-year-old Vincent Torres died at the Kumaka District Hospital. Subsequent to his death, he was tested for the virus and it was later confirmed that he died from COVID-19. He was Guyana’s 11th COVID-19 casualty. Relatives of Torres and the persons who were in contact with him at the hospital were tested for the disease and the results revealed that they were already infected with the disease.
Immediately after it became clear that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases were multiplying, the Santa Rosa Village Council attempted to enforce a complete lockdown for a duration of two weeks. However, residents protested against the lockdown and questioned if the council would be providing food supplies to the families for the lockdown period.
Considering that many were not in favour of a complete lockdown, the Village Council decided against it and has opted to sanitise the entire community instead.
According to Williams, the Village Council in collaboration with the Regional Health Officer (RHO) and his team have decided to sanitise the entire community. He dubbed the exercise a “temporary confinement” as residents are not allowed to leave their homes for three days.
This “temporary confinement” commences today (June 3rd) and will conclude on Friday. Williams stressed that the entire community will be sanitised, including roadways, markets, along with houses and yard spaces.
After the three days, persons will be allowed to leave their homes but have to adhere to the COVID-19 measures implemented by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). However, Williams said, travel to and from the community will be restricted for six weeks and only essential services will be allowed to operate. Shops will be allowed to operate between 8 am and 12 pm during this time.
Meanwhile, according to relatives of the coronavirus patients in Santa Rosa, no one is showing any critical signs of the deadly disease. Some patients are either asymptomatic or only showing mild symptoms of the disease thus far.
In addition, the Acquero Guest House, where several of the patients are currently being isolated, has since been cleaned and sanitised. Patients revealed that the meals being served have improved and they are being served on time.
This newspaper has also been told that a doctor and nurse will be stationed at the facility to monitor the patients, while families are now allowed to drop off various necessities at an undisclosed location so that they can be carried to the patients in the facility.
Stabroek News was also told that several persons who were tested for COVID-19 yesterday and on Monday are now awaiting the results of the tests.
Attempts to contact the RHO were unsuccessful while other health officials said they were instructed not to speak with the media.
