Patient with no COVID-19 symptoms in isolation for 72 days, unable to provide for wife & children
By Isanella Patoir
An asymptomatic COVID-19 patient is in isolation for 72 days and counting and he has no idea of when he would be allowed to return home.
The patient spoke with the News Room Thursday from the Ocean View Hotel at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara which is being developed as a COVID-19 Hospital.
The 33-year-old patient prefers to remain anonymous for fear of discrimination and victimization towards him and his family.
The patient is among the first set of COVID-19 cases recorded in March. The man said that along with his wife and two children, he was placed in institutional quarantine after 52-year-old Ratna Baboolall from Good Hope, East Coast Demerara died on March 11 of COVID-19.
The man said his wife and children tested negative for COVID-19 in late March, but unfortunately, his results came back positive.
He was retested for the disease on May 25 and the results came back negative.
He was then tested again on June 1 and is awaiting the results of that. If he receives a double negative, then he will be allowed to return home, according to the protocols.
“From since then to now I had one negative test and the second test was done three days ago,” the patient said.
The patient explained that since his diagnosis he has been unable to work and had to depend on relatives to assist his wife and children.
He worked as a fisherman and also made furniture to provide for his family.
“I am here so far and I ain’t getting no symptoms of the virus. I feel really down cause I am here, I am not with my family and I am here not getting pay and they out there and the Government is not giving us nothing,” the man said.
He explained that his temperature, blood pressure and cholesterol is checked every day and according to him, everything seems to be normal and it still baffles him as to why he remains in quarantine
The patient does not know when he will be released but noted that the situation at the facility is manageable.
Eight other patients who were tested negative for COVID-19 were moved to the Ocean View Hotel on May 27.
Public Relation Officer of the Ministry of Public Health, Terrence Esseboom had told the News Room that the patients’ samples were taken on May 26 for a second test. If those results are negative, they will be cleared to return home.
All nine patients still remain at the facility.
Since May 31, 2020, Guyana has not recorded any new case of the new coronavirus.
The total number of cases remains at 153, including 70 recoveries and 12 deaths; this means that there are 71 active cases as of June 3, 2020.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story initially stated that the patient is in quarantine, however, he is actually in isolation. The story has been amended to reflect accuracy.
