Caribbean Chicken and San Felipe Villager dies of COVID-19 complications

Natalio Wicab

Now, we take a look at the COVID-19 patients who died this weekend. We start off with patient number seven, Natalio Wicab of San Felipe Village. Wicab was a supervisor at the Caribbean Chicken headquarters in Blue Creek Village. He is reported to have arrived in respiratory distress at the Northern Regional Hospital and was sent almost immediately to the K.H.M.H. on Saturday. He was then diagnosed COVID-19 positive after he died. The Ministry of Health reports Wicab was a diabetic, hypertensive and had suffered a heart-attack prior. Today, we spoke with chairman Margarito Andrades who describes Wicab as an outstanding resident who was helpful and nice to everyone. Andrades says, however, there is a heightened concerned in the village because of possible exposure. He says Wicab was well known in the village and also because of his work. Andrades reports that several other residents of San Felipe also work at Caribbean Chicken.

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, DHS

Dr. Marvin Manzanero

“The seventh patient is from San Felipe who arrived in distress at the Northern Regional and was sent to Karl Heusner almost immediately. I did speak with one family member who didn’t seem to think that his dad is a case of SARS COVID2. This is what they are feeding to us. The patient has the following comorbodity which includes Diabetes II, he suffers from hypertension. So he started to have respiratory distress on Friday-Saturday they were thinking that he had some previous cardiac condition. They nebulized him and when he wasn’t improving they took him to Karl Huesner Hospital and he died upon arrival.”

Via Phone: Margarito Andrades, Chairman, San Felipe

“We neva expect this to happen to one of our well-known residents, Mr. Wicab. He was like two days before he was having fever but sadly on Saturday evening he was transported to the hospital and he was in a critical condition by the time he got home. I am don’t k now if a lot of people are just waiting for the last minute to go to the doctors because a lot of people are calling to the hotline contacts that the we are given and we are not getting no response. He was a supervisor for Caribbean Chicken and according to some people he was healthy. He was normal and all of sudden he drop with a fever.”

Andrea Polanco

“How are people feeling? Are people scared or concerned? What is the sentiment like among your residents?”

Via Phone: Margarito Andrades

“Well, a lot of them are concerned and scared because a lot of them work by Caribbean Chicken where he was a supervisor. He was a very well-known person that always tries to communicate with the workers. He was a nice and well-known person in our village and as a supervisor in that company.”

Andrea Polanco

“So, it is possible that people were exposed as a result?”

Via Phone: Margarito Andrades

“Yes.”

Wicab’s death has prompted the poultry producer to close its processing plant, headquarters and retail outlets countrywide as of today. The closure is to facilitate sanitization. It is expected that the business will re-open in the next few days. In orange Walk Town, Cervantes Poultry which is a client of Caribbean Chicken; has also decided to close until further notice. And in Belize City, Chon Saan Restaurant is closed and so is Tavern as the virus continues to wreck havoc on national life.