Kwebanna, a small village in the Moruca Sub-district in Region One will go on full lockdown from Sunday as a result of increased COVID-19 cases. The lockdown will last for two weeks, the village’s Toshao Paul Pierre told the News Room during an interview on Friday.
Already two persons have died and there are over 50 positive cases in Kwebanna which only confirmed its first case on September 19.
There will be limited to no movement of villagers and no one will be allowed to leave or enter the village.
“I think the lockdown is necessary right now because of the fact that even though we are at this stage people are still not adhering to the COVID-19 measures and that is one of the reasons this thing keep spreading; so enforcement and adherence is needed,” the Toshao explained.
The Toshao and his wife were among the positive cases from the village but left isolation on Friday after testing negative.
“When I took the test I didn’t had any symptoms. The week before I had a slight fever and headache during the nights and I drank some local medicine and a lot of panadol and after two days the fever and headache left. But I still decided to take the test and it came back positive,” the Toshao said.
The Toshao explained that food supplies are being sent from Mabaruma to assist persons during the lockdown.
“We are being assisted by the regional administration. Some food supplies is actually on its way to Kwebanna from Mabaruma and the police will also be present in the community.”
Health workers stationed at Santa Rosa will also travel 22 miles to do checkups at Kwebanna because there is limited health workers. The Toshao further explained that there is also no isolation facilities in the village as such positive patients are also treated in Santa Rosa.
“In the initial stages of COVID-19 we had some buildings set up but not adequate facilities like bed and stuff – we don’t have that,” the Toshao said.
Kwebanna is home to some 900 persons. The Toshao is also calling for additional support from the government during the lockdown.
“I think it is more or less it is a national health issue, whatever support we can get from government we would appreciate it…sanitizers and masks those are some of the things we really need in the community.”
Other villages in Region One with positive cases include Manawari, Red Hill and Black Water.
