LN – Ramona Medina, a death from coronavirus that exposes the drama of living without water

Four days ago, Ramona Medina, a resident of Villa 31, was diagnosed with coronavirus. The rest of the family with whom he lived in his small house – his partner, his daughters Guadalupe and Maia, and two nephews – were also infected. Today Ramona stopped integrating the list of infected and went on to enlarge the list of

deceased

.

Just twenty days ago,

During a tour of LA NACION in the area, Ramona put a face to a drama that the neighborhood had been suffering

 From. To

More than a week

: the lack of water, an asset considered essential not only for life but, specifically, to prevent the proliferation of the virus. She was a large woman, who had an active participation in neighborhood organizations. During the tour, she then said that her house was a few meters from the place where eleven people had been infected and that, that morning, a family living opposite had been hospitalized. “No one came to offer us help. And I am diabetic,” she complained.

Ramona’s house is located under the highway, where Villa 31 limits with 31 Bis, and where the air and natural light are

scarce goods

. During our visit, and while she showed us that only air came out of the pipe that connected the water network to her tank, Ramona said that she was doing

a year and a half

who hoped to be relocated with her family to the new homes. “They offered me twice. The first time it was a very small apartment for us, there are six of us. The second time was somewhat more spacious, but by stairs and my daughter moves in a wheelchair,” he explained.

As she was part of a risk group and also the needs of her daughter prevented her from moving around a lot, a few days before our talk, a City Government motorcycle had come up to her house to fill her tank. “When I opened the tap,

brown water was coming out

. Then I found out that they were delivering two types of water: one for the bathroom and one for drinking. They had put the wrong water in me, “he told LA NACION.

The

fear

Because the virus was right on his heels, it showed in his eyes. “I am very concerned about my family. My twelve-year-old daughter is disabled and cannot do her therapies. The confinement makes her convulse

the double

. And we also lack water. How can I maintain hygiene? “She said indignantly.

Today his death shows the dire consequences of living without water in the midst of a pandemic. It also shows the havoc that the virus makes in a context of

poverty and overcrowding

: Ramona was 43 years old. Twenty days ago, during the tour of LA NACION, official figures spoke of 13 infected in the town. Yesterday, only there, they exceeded 850. Problems with the water supply in some vulnerable neighborhoods still persist.