Greetings all,
Wow, it seems there has been a lot of water under the proverbial bridge since we last updated you. We have started getting phone calls for updates. So that means it is time for this blog post! And in a time of COVID-19, things change hourly!
The situation in the camps is very interesting. A report came out recently entitled: "The Stories being Told: Rohingya Report on the Epidemic." Here is a summary of what it says:
"The prevalence and impact of COVID-19 in the camps today remains unclear and different
sources of information paint different and conflicting pictures of the situation. Official
numbers of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths confirmed through testing suggest the
virus is yet to spread across the camps and that its peak lies ahead. This is reinforced by the
fact that medical facilities have not experienced a surge in people seeking treatment, nor a
surge in the use of quarantine facilities. There has also been a low number of reported
deaths. However, research conducted by CwC (Communicating with Communities) Rohingya researchers between 25 May and 25 June 2020 suggest widespread illness moving quickly through communities and an increase in deaths during that time. These reports were corroborated by other sources within the response and discussed in sector meetings. Symptoms reported included fever,
coughing, and severe aches and pains, as well as deaths, primarily among older people.
Whether these symptoms were COVID-19 or a flu is unclear and has yet to be determined.
The volume of these reports combined with reluctance among the Rohingya to visit health
facilities during this time merit their further consideration. Engaging with these reports in
a genuine and sensitive manner is important for building trust and can reveal new ways to
learn about how people share information. Although recently there has been a slight
increase in Rohingya consenting to testing and reporting symptoms, this does not address
the reason behind the delay in support from the camps. Exploring why the Rohingya were
initially reluctant to engage with the response will help understand how to better improve
response messaging and planning moving forward."
In general, it seems that mortality rates are fairly low in Bangladesh. That fact, combined with the possibility that there could be some immunity in the camps due to the theory of the virus having made its round in the camps already, could be favorable for the Rohingya. Is this a miracle? We don't know, but we will follow the developments over the next weeks and months.
As for us personally, we continue to work from Minnesota (from our apartment in Minneapolis). We are continuing to support our teams from here. Christine remains blocked in getting her passport as we have not gotten the bill to pay for our repatriation flight (which we took on April 13). Phil has been able to submit his application to the Bangladesh embassy for a visa. He is going to get a COVID-19 test today in order to submit that to the embassy as part of their requirements. So there is some possibility that he might return to Bangladesh before Christine, if we can't get Christine's passport. But a positive response to his visa request isn't yet a done deal!
This is also monsoon season in Bangladesh, and the rains have been quite heavy. Check out the video above - it was taken on the main street in Cox's Bazar. Apparently about 1/3 of Banagladesh is currently under water because of the heavy monsoon rains.
Praise for:
 |
| Monsoon season storm clouds gathering over the Camps |
The situation in the camps is very interesting. A report came out recently entitled: "The Stories being Told: Rohingya Report on the Epidemic." Here is a summary of what it says:
"The prevalence and impact of COVID-19 in the camps today remains unclear and different
sources of information paint different and conflicting pictures of the situation. Official
numbers of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths confirmed through testing suggest the
virus is yet to spread across the camps and that its peak lies ahead. This is reinforced by the
fact that medical facilities have not experienced a surge in people seeking treatment, nor a
surge in the use of quarantine facilities. There has also been a low number of reported
deaths. However, research conducted by CwC (Communicating with Communities) Rohingya researchers between 25 May and 25 June 2020 suggest widespread illness moving quickly through communities and an increase in deaths during that time. These reports were corroborated by other sources within the response and discussed in sector meetings. Symptoms reported included fever,
coughing, and severe aches and pains, as well as deaths, primarily among older people.
Whether these symptoms were COVID-19 or a flu is unclear and has yet to be determined.
The volume of these reports combined with reluctance among the Rohingya to visit health
facilities during this time merit their further consideration. Engaging with these reports in
a genuine and sensitive manner is important for building trust and can reveal new ways to
learn about how people share information. Although recently there has been a slight
increase in Rohingya consenting to testing and reporting symptoms, this does not address
the reason behind the delay in support from the camps. Exploring why the Rohingya were
initially reluctant to engage with the response will help understand how to better improve
response messaging and planning moving forward."
While there continue to be delays in opening isolation centers, more capacity is coming online all the time. But given the above report, and the fact that there is a rumor that if you go to an isolation center you will simply be thrown in a hole, we may not have a lot of people going to the isolation centers - unless this lack of trust can be successfully addressed for the Rohingya.
In general, it seems that mortality rates are fairly low in Bangladesh. That fact, combined with the possibility that there could be some immunity in the camps due to the theory of the virus having made its round in the camps already, could be favorable for the Rohingya. Is this a miracle? We don't know, but we will follow the developments over the next weeks and months.
As for us personally, we continue to work from Minnesota (from our apartment in Minneapolis). We are continuing to support our teams from here. Christine remains blocked in getting her passport as we have not gotten the bill to pay for our repatriation flight (which we took on April 13). Phil has been able to submit his application to the Bangladesh embassy for a visa. He is going to get a COVID-19 test today in order to submit that to the embassy as part of their requirements. So there is some possibility that he might return to Bangladesh before Christine, if we can't get Christine's passport. But a positive response to his visa request isn't yet a done deal!
Praise for:
- This time spent with our kids and extended family here in MN (all correctly socially distanced, almost)
- The fact that we continue to be able to work with our teams
- Good internet!
Prayer for:
- The Rohingya to be spared the worst ravages of COVID-19
- A breakthrough for getting the bill for Christine's flight so that we can travel back to BGD together!
- A positive response to Phil's visa request - it looks pretty good thus far
- Strength for the bizarre hours that we are maintaining in order to work with people in Bangladesh.
Thanks for sharing Phil and Christine. What a bizarre time we live in. We have been given the responsibility for the MCC Jordan program along with MCC Jerusalem. We can not visit Jordan due to COVID-19 restrictions. It is so strange that we are Reps for a country we have not visited,even though it is just over the Jordan River. I do hope you can make it back to the camps and together. Blessings on your work!
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