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."