The 21 additional novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases recorded this week in Santa Rosa, Region One, have completely overwhelmed the health system in the indigenous village, leaving health authorities with no option but to erect isolation tents at a sports ground which lacks a water supply system.
This is according to a regional official, who spoke to Stabroek News on the condition of anonymity.
The Barima-Waini region has recorded a total of 45 cases of COVID-19 thus far with 44 of those cases being from Santa Rosa Village in the Moruca sub-district. According to the Ministry of Public Health’s (MoPH) Public Relations Officer Terrence Esseboom, the three new cases recorded yesterday are from Region One. The region’s first and second cases, which were recorded in Mabaruma and Santa Rosa respectively, have since recovered.
The region has also recorded one death, that of Vincent Torres. He was the region’s third case and Santa Rosa’s second COVID-19 case. He died at the Kumaka District Hospital before he was tested.
Currently, at least 35 COVID-19 patients are being isolated at the Santa Rosa Amerindian Hostel and the Aquero Guesthouse. Those facilities are completely filled following the confirmation of the 18 additional COVID-19 cases, sources in those isolation facilities told this newspaper.
The regional official revealed that as a result of the overwhelmed isolation facilities, the MoPH decided to erect isolation tents at the Sheba sports ground in Huradiah, one of the scattered communities located in Santa Rosa.
Stabroek News was told that the decision to erect those tents in that area was not welcomed by the residents living close to the sports ground. One of the frustrated residents said that they were not consulted by anyone with regards to the setting up of the isolation tents. She added that they only learned that isolation tents were being set up yesterday morning
According to the resident, when they approached the persons who were erecting the tents with their concerns, they were told that the area was identified by the Toshao of Santa Rosa, Whanita Phillips. As such, they tried to contact the toshao to raise their concerns but to no avail.
It was revealed that part of the land where the tents are erected is private property, which is used for farming. The resident said that if their houses weren’t so close to the sports ground and their farming land wasn’t affected, it would been a different situation.
The resident added that there are a lot of areas which can be used for isolation of COVID-19 patients. “They are not using the isolation facility that was constructed at the airstrip,” she said, adding that there is another facility that has all the necessary amenities that is currently not being used.
Meanwhile, the regional official said that while portable bathrooms and washroom facilities are also being erected at the area, there is still the issue of a water supply system. In order to get water, patients would have to leave the sports ground and residents are deeply concerned about that.
Another regional official reported that they are not privy to updates on the coronavirus situation in the community and as a result cannot divulge any other information for fear of it being inaccurate.
Regardless, Stabroek News was told that the majority of the COVID-19 cases are teachers and healthcare workers attached to the Kumaka District Hospital. Both of the doctors that were stationed at the hospital are in isolation. One was among the first cases of COVID-19 that were recorded while the other was among the 18 additional cases recorded recently.
Meanwhile, as a result of contact tracing, police officers stationed at the Aquero Police Station in Santa Rosa have been placed on a two-week quarantine. When contacted, Regional Commander Wendell Blanhum declined to comment on the situation. It is unclear whether other police officers would be dispatched to replace the ones now in quarantine.
Attempts to contact the Santa Rosa toshao were unsuccessful while the Regional Health Officer has refused to speak to this newspaper on countless occasions.
