COVID-19: Handcuffed Venezuelans attempted to escape to Mahdia, Lethem

Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence on Tuesday said the four Venezuelan women who were handcuffed to beds at a quarantine facility in Region Three on April 11, attempted to escape to Mahdia in Region Eight and Lethem in Region Nine.

The women whom she referred to as migrants, were picked up from a hotel in Georgetown after one of them displayed flu-like symptoms.

According to the Minister, “the women disregarded the home quarantine guidelines and were en route to Mahdia and Lethem.”

As such, they were intercepted and placed in institutional quarantine.

The News Room reported that the women attempted to leave the quarantine facility in Region Three and assaultee a nurse during the process.

As a result, the Police were called to the scene.

They were subsequently restrained and handcuffs were used to secure them to the beds at the facility on Saturday night.

The Minister urged persons to adhere to guidelines for home quarantine and good hygiene.

There are 21 persons in institutional quarantine and 34 in isolation. As of April 14, Guyana recorded 48 cases of the deadly disease.