ECATEPEC, Mexico (Reuters) – Households in a poor satellite tv for pc metropolis of Mexico’s capital with one of many nation’s most variety of coronavirus instances have protested to demand information of sick kin and return of our bodies of the lifeless after movies surfaced displaying cadavers at a hospital.
A member of Mexico’s Nationwide Guard sporting a protecting masks retains watch at at Hospital Common las Americas after individuals organized protests to demand information about their sick kin and the return of the our bodies of those that died from the coronavirus illness (COVID-19), in Mexico Metropolis, Mexico Might 2, 2020. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido
One video of the Las Americas basic hospital in Ecatepec that was posted to social media confirmed a number of bagged our bodies on stretchers, some in a small room and others outdoors lined towards a courtyard wall.
“The one factor I demand is that they offer me the complete physique of my son,” Maria Dolores Carrillo instructed tv program Imagen on Friday night after her son died on the hospital.
One other video from Friday confirmed upset members of the family who had apparently compelled their manner into the hospital. They shouted in a crowded hallway in a confrontation with police, demanding information of their kin.
Fernanda Garcia, 48, stated she noticed the group turn out to be upset after hospital employees stated they’d not be releasing affected person info. “The members of the family turned offended as a result of many had been right here for days with out information of their kin.”
Her husband died on the hospital on Friday night after being admitted with respiratory issues, and his physique has since been delivered to the household, she stated.
Ecatepec, a working class metropolis of greater than 1.7 million inhabitants outdoors Mexico Metropolis, has registered 407 confirmed instances of the coronavirus and 28 deaths, in response to information from Mexico’s well being ministry.
It’s among the many Mexican municipalities worst affected by the virus, which initially hit the extra prosperous elements of Latin America however is now spreading in poor neighborhoods.
State of Mexico authorities stated in a press release that the Las Americas hospital, which is run by the state well being ministry, would attempt to hasten the supply of our bodies to households.
“Coordination with funeral properties within the space has been strengthened with the goal to hurry up the supply of our bodies and keep away from the saturation within the Pathology Space of the Las Americas hospital,” the State of Mexico authorities stated.
Officers additionally they’d work to enhance communication with households, however that hospital visits had been prohibited to forestall the coronavirus from spreading.
Some members of the family on Saturday blocked a freeway outdoors the hospital, demanding the discharge of a relative’s physique, tv program Milenio reported.
Jose Luis Ortega, 46, whose sister is within the hospital being examined for the virus, stated it was troublesome to obtain info solely by phone.
“We’ve a proper as residents, as people … to be told of what’s occurring,” he stated.
Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon and Roberto Ramirez, extra reporting by Abraham Gonzalez; Modifying by Alistair Bell and Himani Sarkar