A Maltese man who lost his father to coronavirus in a matter of hours is ruing the fact that he could not even bid him farewell.
The 84-year-old was among 20 who tested positive to COVID-19 on Friday. Hours later his 60-year-old son received the traumatic phone call from Mater Dei Hospital: his father had become the third victim of the virus in Malta.
“My father’s burial took place less than six hours after his death,” he said.
The man, who spoke to Times of Malta on condition of anonymity, shared his harrowing experience as he is forced to stay in quarantine together with his family as a precaution.
Malta’s COVID-19 cases soared to 370 on Saturday. The cases included 10 migrants from the Ħal Far open centre, which has been in lockdown for a week, and nine cases of local transmission, including two carers.
Stunned by the rapid deterioration of his father, the man said he had not yet come to terms with the dark reality.
“When my father was admitted to hospital due to respiratory problems, it never crossed my mind it would be the last time I would see him,” he said.
Though the patient in question, an octogenarian, was very vulnerable due to other medical complications, his family said his condition deteriorated dramatically within hours.
Until his admission to hospital, the victim was bedridden, but was living at home with his wife.
His son said he used to visit his parents’ house to ensure somebody would be present during the carer’s daily visit.
“Unfortunately, when I heard the harrowing experience of an elderly person being robbed by somebody posing as a health worker I decided I had to be present,” he said.
Though funerals have been suspended since the very start of the outbreak, a restricted number of relatives are still being allowed for the burial during which the Holy Rites are recited by a priest.
He died alone, in isolation
In this case, however, this was also not possible as the victim’s next of kin and his son have been quarantined. “Unfortunately, the only person present was the parish priest,” he said.
Their grief was augmented by the fact that for health reasons, burials of COVID-19 victims are being speeded up.
“Our biggest regret is that he could not count on our support during his final hours as he died alone in complete isolation. This is the cruellest aspect of this virus,” he said.
Though at this stage, the man would not speculate how his father had contracted the virus, he called on the public to heed the health authorities’ advice and orders.
“This is not only about protecting yourself, but ensuring you do not expose the most vulnerable in society who might ultimately pay with their life. It pains seeing people going to the beach while others are dying miserably, possibly as a result of such negligence,” he said.