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The Grim Realities of COVID Infection
posted (April 8, 2020)

And while those family members are negative, but remain under quarantine, the terrible reality is that the relatives of patient 7 - who is hospitalised at the KHMH - cannot visit their loved ones in the isolation ward. That is because, first, they are under quarantine and, second, because the highly infectious nature of COVID 19 makes it so that - all over the world - those who are infected cannot have visitors.

More than that, there is a strict and unforgiving protocol for dealing with those who die from COVID-19, Manzanero discussed this difficult subject today:

Dr. Marvin Manzanero - Director of Health Services

"This is very important and we have realised that we are going to have to have a discussion specific on how we handle cadavers. I know that is not a topic we would want to address but I think in all fairness and in all honesty, if our curve which is we are now starting to have a curve, if those numbers start to go up, if we are not able to contain it and again that is with a joint venture with the community, I mean people can be expected, the numbers will start to go up in the population that's affected because people will die. The specific recommendation in terms of what should be done with the cadaver of a patient who have died of COVID-19, we are not considering doing an autopsy on anybody who was diagnosed with COVID-19, they are bat almost immediately. We are also not considering a body should be kept in the morgue for not even an overnight stay. As long we have a cadaver, we have to find a means to the family, following the proper processes. Understand that somebody who is critically ill, has a COVID-19 situations is not going to be allowed any visitation, even the 2 patients, both in Corozal and in KHMH, visitors are not allowed. So you're not going to be seeing your family members. I know in the case of the patient number 7, he does calls via his phone because he's not incubated but once you're incubated, there's not much that communication that you're going to be able to have with your family members and we need to be able to say that. Sometimes if you have been exposed because of your family members, you will also understand that you will be under either self-isolation if you are also diagnosed positive or quarantined. I know that is a difficult message to be able to give to you but you are also not going to be able to perhaps see your family member if they die. Why? because you yourself are under quarantine and self-isolation."

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