Health Workers Spread COVID-19 Among Indigenous Tribes, Creating a Deadly Outbreak
In late May, elderly members of the Kanamari Indigenous tribe suddenly struggled to breathe. Members of the remote community sought to shield themselves, running into the forest to hide. But no one was safe.
The symptoms began nearly a week after health workers, called Sesai, deployed by Brazil's government, made a routine visit to the tribe. According to data collected by The New York Times, that visit may have been the source of the spread. Medical workers charged with protecting the Indigenous populations plagued the tribes with COVID-19, leaving thousands struggling to survive.
More than a thousand workers tasked with giving medical aid to the remote communities have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Many said the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and a shortage in tests inadvertently endangered the communities.
Since May, over 15,500 Indigenous people contracted the virus, including roughly 10,900 living in protected territories. More than 500 tribe members have died.
How did the agency respond?
Robson Santos da Silva, the Army colonel of the Sesai, said the agency's response was efficient. He also said the criticisms stemmed from misinformation and politics.
In an emailed statement, the agency said reports claiming the Sesai exposed the remote communities to the virus was inconclusive. It also said its employees wore protective equipment during their routine visit.
The statement ended by saying that their planning and early research helped medical workers deliver timely and efficient healthcare services to the villages.
Research conducted by the Times said that at least two of the field officers had a high rate of infection.
The office overseeing Amapa and Para said 186 health workers tested positive for the coronavirus. The numbers are nearly half of its total number of medical workers. In the office covering the communities near the border between Brazil and Venezuela, 207 workers or 20 percent of its medical staff became infected.
Medical experts say the actual toll of the infected Indigenous health workers is likely many times higher. Many front line workers sought tests. However, only five percent of the Indigenous health service has been tested as of June 30.
What is the government doing?
Brazil has faces shortages in testing. Most of them are unreliable. Doctors and nurses with asymptomatic or undiagnosed cases unknowingly spread the virus when they travel to vulnerable areas. Many teams are also responsible for getting their own protective gear.
The government had also stopped efforts imposing strict quarantine protocols. Contact tracing is also ineffective.
In early July, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro vetoed provisions that obligated the federal government to provide aid to the tribes. It included giving safe drinking water, disinfectants, and bed spaces to indigenous tribes. According to a report by Reuters, the provisions were unconstitutional and would only create expenses for the government.
Bolsonaro also rejected funding for the governments who have emergency plans for indigenous communities. The emergency plan included giving the remote communities access to more information on the virus and internet.