Guyana’s first COVID-19 victim finally laid to rest

Apr 18, 2020 News

More than one month after passing away, Guyana’s first COVID-19 victim, Ratna Baboolall, was yesterday cremated at Memorial Gardens, Le Repentir.

Dead: Ratna Baboolall, and a few of her loved ones, in happier times.

Her children and loved ones were not allowed to see her remains as she was placed in a sealed coffin.
The 52-year-old woman, a mother of five, was one of six persons who have been confirmed as dead as a result of the virus in Guyana.
According to the latest figures, Guyana has recorded 63 confirmed positive cases of the virus.
Health officials have deemed Baboolall’s case an imported one.
According to her son, Suraj, 27, there was a handful of family members present at a funeral service in keeping with restrictions implemented by government.
Included in those saying farewell was Suraj’s father, and two siblings.
Another sister had returned to the US while other family members remain in quarantine.
The case would highlight the stark reality of what surviving family members had to deal with.
The Ministry of Public Health had chipped in with assisting with funeral expenses.
According to Baboolall, the situation is a deeply traumatizing one.
In a Go Fund Me page, the son had disclosed that his mother came to Guyana on March 7 for an annual family Phagwah vacation. They had no idea of the unfolding events.

Only close family members were allowed to gather at the cremation site yesterday.

On March 9 – Phagwah day – the mother played with her grandchildren. She complained of not feeling well and it was later discovered that her blood sugar had spike to 548 and later rose to 598.
The woman was taken to a private facility, which refused to help as they noted she had a recent travel history from New York.
The mother was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. She was rushed to Triage where, during the interventions, she suffered a heart attack.
According to Suraj, at GPHC, a tube was inserted into her throat to help breathing.
“On March 11 about 7 am I spoke to her doctor and they told me that mom is recovering well and she will be moved to the ICU and the tube will be removed from her throat and they said let me return at 12 pm.”
The son said he went home and was later told to return to the hospital. “…when I went into the Triage area, they told me to sit and wait. I saw the nurses and doctor sanitizing themselves and immediately, I knew something was wrong. Then the doctor came and told me that my mom died at 9:01 am from her second heart attack…”
Scores of Guyanese in New York have been reported to be infected with COVID-19 with at least 50 persons dead.
New York is the hardest hit state in the US, accounting for about 40 percent of the cases there.