Dear Sisters:
Share that some of the news coming out of the city of Guayaquil are mostly true. Infected people who need hospitalization are no longer received in hospitals because they no longer have the capacity. There was much irresponsibility on the part of the people of Guayaquil, who did not take into account the quarantine and other provisions to contain the epidemic. Of all the news that comes out regarding the deceased in their homes, who cannot be buried, it is true. It is also true that families choose to burn the corpses or leave them outside their homes, in coffins or wrapped in bags. These deceased are not counted in the official government figures, because they were never tested for coronavirus, even though they died with all the characteristic symptoms of that disease. No matter how many times people call the health or police authorities when someone dies in their homes, there is no response. Funeral homes do not attend because they do not know the protocols to be followed for covid-19 deaths, and they are afraid of contagion. Yesterday and the day before yesterday, the central government authorities sent ambulances and other types of transportation to pick up the dead from this pandemic or other diseases.
We are in Quito, 8 hours from the city of Guayaquil. Gladys, Sr. Marina Ccorimanya and myself, all three Peruvians. Since March 16 we have been without young people or workers, and since there are normally 80 university residents, we had the food supplies according to that number. So, thank God, we don’t need to go out at all. No one comes in either. The workers are at home keeping quarantine and we follow the Eucharist of Pope Francis and have consecrated hosts for communion. Since that date, March 16, we have not gone out and no one has come in, and none of us have had any symptoms associated with covid-19. The workers are also doing well, as are the young women in the residence, with whom we maintain contact. None of them are from Guayaquil.
We pray very much for you, and for all the sisters of the congregation. We are very close every day.
A big hug to you and all our sisters, today more than ever feeling like sisters.
Quito Community