COVID-19 Ecuador updates 5
23/April
The dynamics of what is going on in Ecuador are weird and ever changing, and different from other countries...also, we are facing economic and social emergencies as well, so I will be including that information in here as well...
22,160 confirmed cases today (over 10k positive cases added in one day...some of this has to do with the infrastructure of the country, aka positive test results from the last week from private clinics just coming in today. Another big factor is that Ecuador still does not have the capacity to take the number of daily tests needed, and so when a big shipment comes in, like on Monday, at the end of the week there is a number spike as the results from those extra tests come back.)
1,588 deaths (560 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, and 1,028 people that died without being able to take the test, but all died from respiratory problems, and had probable contact with someone that was infected.)
In Guayaquil, the commercial capitol and highly populated coastal city of Ecuador, and ground zero of the virus in Ecuador, they are still under part-martial law. The hospitals, health system and morgues are all swamped, and the authorities are still finding bodies just left on the streets. Other people have been trying for over three weeks to find missing family members, and there are still unidentified bodies just lying around.
In Quito, the capitol city, the cases started spiraling about a week or so ago...The government had to install a mobile hospital, and a number of refrigerated semi trailers as mobile morgues.
The government has gone through a number of phases as far as how to take care of the bodies, including a time of mandatory cremation, and a short period of common graves. They now have all the cities constructing a separate grave yard, a certain distance away from houses or water sources, to bury the bodies at a special depth. For a country that normally uses cement cubicles above ground to seal the caskets in, this is a huge undertaking.
There have been a number of riots recently, some in the bigger open air markets that the government has not shut down yet, but has decreed that only stores can come to buy in bulk, as a measure to cut down on the number of people coming into this public area. Other riots have occurred inside several different prisons, where the inmates for a short period of time took over the different installations, demanding face masks and that new detainees be laced in isolation for an incubation period, so as not to expose the other inmates to the virus.
The economy, which was already declared in a state of emergency before the virus, because of the falling oil prices, is now spiraling on a downward slope. Oil is a large percentage of income for Ecuador, their three biggest sources of income are oil, bananas and tourism. About three weeks ago, after a heavy rain, two main oil pipelines were cracked/destroyed from landslides, and the pumping halted for a certain amount of time. A few days after that, one of the workers in one of the processing plants came back positive with the virus, and they shut the plant down. Then, the country declared that for an indefinite amount of time they will be suspending their oil production/exportation, so that means two of their three main sources of income are currently not bringing in any money.
The government is taking several actions to try and reduce spending/increase income, on an international and governmental levels, as well as with their citizens. Some of the most notable are:
Differing their governmental debts... A special 'income tax' on all citizens (a percentage of their income to go to a special fund to help with the COVID-19 emergency, starting form a small percentage for those that make $500 a month and over, all the way to a proposed half of their income for presidents, assemblymen and high ranking government officials. A proposed cut on government subsidiaries, especially including gas and diesel (if you remember, the strike and rioting last year was for just this reason.)
Needless to say, people are unsettled and not happy. There has been talk of rioting once again, if the cutting of the subsidiaries comes to pass, and a lot of people are complaining about the new cuts.
people are also complaining about the limitations on movement and working. Although working from home has been approved and encouraged from day one, and the government is trying to control that people don't get laid off for not being able to go to work, there are many people who have been laid off, as their companies claim they cannot pay wages while the people aren't allowed to work, and others claiming that such control and measures will bankrupt them. Many others do not have jobs that can be completed from home, or do not have the means to connect via internet to do their jobs, and the economy on a local level has taken a big hit as well.
Prices are rising, either from necessity, a rise in base product, or people taking advantage of the situation, and lack of supply versus high demand. Many people are not able to pay their bills, rent or even in some cases buy food, and this has caused many to break the non-travel and curfew laws to work. This last week was very bad, and the traffic on the streets looked almost normal in some places. There have been many arrests, and a growing concern of a spike in the curve of positive cases.
People have been arrested for breaking curfew, for hiding in delivery trucks to try and get to a 'less contaminated' province, for driving around with their dead and claiming that they were 'just sleeping', so as to bury them in a different place, and even for joy riding and vacationing during this time, as well as arrests for those that have to work, even though it is against the law, so as to provide for their families.
In the near future it does not look like much will change...the government is contemplating opening up mid level necessary work in certain provinces, but international and even inter provincial traveling will be suspended for probably at least another month. The department of education has declared that there will be no more in person classes this year (classes go until June), and that teachers are to give the classes and tests online via videoconferencing. However, a lot of places do not have access to internet, including a number of my sons fellow students, and we are homeschooling with just a minimal amount of direction and instructions from the teacher. As of yet they have not said how the end of the year tests will be given.
Public gatherings are still prohibited indefinitely, so church services, kids clubs and seminary are all called off for the near and foreseeable future. We are still in contact with the different pastors, communities and club leaders, doing phone conferences, counseling and teaching, and also helping a few of the most needy financially.
As a family we are doing well... a bit under the weather these last few days...having to stay inside is affecting all of us, especially the boys. Please continue to pray for safety, Gods provision, direction and guidance during this time!
