Elderly men die after being in contact with COVID-19 victims – SRDC

…denies reports of positive case in Katuur

The South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) on Thursday related that two elderly men from the Potarinao Village in Central Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) died after coming into contact with persons who had tested positive for COVID-19.
The men – aged 68 and 80 – were not tested for the virus at that time. In fact, sources told Guyana Times on Friday that posthumous testing would not be conducted to determine if they had indeed contracted the virus.
In light of this alarming development, calls were made yet again for health authorities to increase the amount of testing supplies available, to test those with positive symptoms immediately, and to conduct contact tracing.
“We further urge the Regional Task Force to work with the SRDC to closely monitor the vast open border to prevent further spread of this disease into our communities from Brazil. Anything less threatens serious and irreparable harm to our communities,” the Council responded.
The SRDC also denied allegations that one person tested positive for COVID-19 in Katuur, Region Nine, claiming that the report from the Regional Executive Officer (REO) was false.
REO Carl Parker would have indicated that a positive case was detected in the South Rupununi village and the man later travelled to Tiger Pond in the South Pakaraimas to evade mandatory isolation.
However, the Council labelled these statements as “premature” and clarified that the first medical team only arrived in the village on Thursday. In fact, it mentioned that the villages are closely monitored.
“The SRDC has been closely monitoring the situation in Potarinao, Shulinab and Sand Creek and their satellites, including Katuur, and the information provided to the news by the Regional Executive Officer does not reflect the true situation on the ground in Potarinao and in Katuur…For the REO to state that there was a positive case coming from Katuur, South Rupununi and travelling to Tiger Pond, South Pakaraimas, is premature and causing confusion among villagers and the overworked Village Council of Potarinao,” the District Council notified.
The Committee, which oversees 21 Indigenous communities, said it has been in daily contact with the Toshao and other officials from Potarinao and Satellite villages, and can confirm that no patients in Katuur had even been tested for COVID-19 up to Thursday.
A release issued by the SRDC further stated that several recommendations were made to the Region Nine COVID-19 Task Force for a more effective response but to date “nothing much has been done”.
“At the latest Task Force meeting, the REO recommended that Toshaos now be charged for hiding their villagers who cross into Guyana. Toshaos were told that if case numbers rise in their villages, they can expect little help from the regional authorities. The REO’s baseless statements not only mischaracterise the source of the virus’s spread into our communities but are a direct threat to violate our human rights and to deliberately abandon the Government’s responsibility to protect the health and welfare of its citizens.”
Further, the Committee added that rather than trying to find “scapegoats to pin blame for the rising case numbers” in the region, collective action is needed to tackle the spread of this dreaded disease. Instead, they have been working alone with little efforts from Government or the Task Force to prevent illegal border crossings.
“Our Toshaos have been overwhelmed in trying to keep their communities safe. The SRDC and our villages, in particular, Potarinao and Sawariwao, have made regular monitoring trips to the 180 km border, with little support coming from the Task Force or Government.”
Presently, all villages within the District are on lockdown after noticing a rise in cases in Region Nine.