Relatives of people infected with COVID-19 from southern Moldova district harassed, threatened by local residents

Chisinau, 6 April /MOLDPRES/ - The public health centre from the southern Taraclia district says that it receives more complaints from relatives of people who are infected with COVID-19. People say they are discriminated, subjected to hostilities, pressures and intolerance on behalf of local residents.  

„Some persons started seeking patients’ contacts, threatening their relatives. In these cases, it is no longer about caution, but aggression. The relatives of the sick people say that the neighbours and acquaintances mobilized against them,’’ a physician epidemiologist from the Taraclia public health centre, Elena Caramalac, said.    

According to the source, quoted by the websites www.TUK.md and www.gagauzinfo.md, the employees of the public health centre are discriminated too. ‘’People have become wicked and describe the infected people as ‘’leprous’’ and this instead of focusing on physicians’ recommendations, of staying home and observing the sanitary and hygienic regime,’’ the epidemiologist said.  

The physician said she was ‘’astonished by such an attitude’’ towards those sick with COVID-19, as ‘’they are not guilty at all’’ and ‘’in these hard times, instead of backing them, they thought right to declare them war.’’ ‘’The despair, unrest, fear from the society can be understood; yet, innocent people must not be harassed,’’ Elena Caramalac said.  

For its part, the police made a call to the residents to signal harassment and threatening cases at 112.

According to data by the Health, Labour and Social Protection Ministry, there are six confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Taraclia district today. All patients are in Chisinau-based hospitals and their relatives, with whom they were in touch, are self-isolated and checked by physicians and police.