Ecuador Indigenous community fears extinction from coronavirus

[Judi Lynn]

Dozens from the Siekopai nation along Ecuador-Peru border flee to the Amazon for shelter.

3 hours ago



Ecuador Indigenous community fears extinction from coronavirus Ecuador has reported more than 31,000 coronavirus cases but its Indigenous groups complain the government has neglected them [Amazon Frontiles y Alianza Ceibo/Handout via Reuters]

Members of one of Ecuador's Indigenous communities have fled into the Amazon rainforest for shelter after fears that it could be wiped out as coronavirus infections rise in its territory.

With about 744 members, the Siekopai nation, along the border between Ecuador and Peru, has 15 confirmed cases of the virus. Two elderly leaders died in the last two weeks after showing symptoms of COVID-19, the group said.

Ecuador has reported more than 31,000 cases while nearly 1,600 have died.

A large number of Siekopai have presented symptoms related to the outbreak but, after they sought help from a government health centre in nearby Tarapoa city, doctors told them they just had a "nasty flu", community President Justino Piaguaje said in a meeting held via social media on Monday.

More:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/ecuador-indigenous-community-fears-extinction-coronavirus-200506063305114.html

[niyad]

1. KNR. This is just so sad.