This article was first published on the 17th of January, 2020 by Patrick Carpen.
Last updated: January 18, 2020 at 0:18 am
We have received reports, today, 17th of January, 2020 of a deadly outbreak in the prison of Boa Vista in the state of Roraima, Brazil.
Please share this article to raise awareness. By sharing, we can call the attention of international organizations which can look into this epidemic and help to contain it. Reports are that this unknown bacterium which is eating the inmates alive is contagious – that means it can spread from person to person.
Roraima is the northernmost state of Brazil which shares borders with Guyana and Venezuela. The capital of Roraima, Boa Vista, can be reached by driving 2 hours from neighboring Lethem, Guyana, South America.
An undiagnosed disease, originating from an equally unknown bacterium, is deforming the body of inmates at the Boa Vista Penitentiary – PAMC. It is a very powerful germ that is eating the skin of the inmates alive, leaving parts of the body in decomposition.
It is speculated that the disease originates from the large concentration of scabies, syphilis and geographic bugs, causing large wounds mainly on the hands and legs of detainees. It is very serious and is at this point without a cure and it has already taken 24 detainees to the General Hospital of Roraima, most of them in serious condition.
The situation came to the attention of the Brazilian Bar Association, section Roraima, which decided to intervene. Today (17) the president of the Human Rights Commission, Hélio Abozaglo, declared that the detainees are being medicated, but due to the precariousness of the service at HGR, “the situation is desperate.”
“Unfortunately, the situation in the Roraima prison system is serious, very serious. To give you an idea, of the 24 inmates affected by this disease that are eating them alive, 10 are hospitalized, the rest are mirrored by the Hospital corridor. The situation is very serious,” he said.
According to the lawyer, some prisoners are no longer able to walk due to paralysis in their legs. And it is clear that the bacteria is acting very fast, tearing the skin and flesh of the victims. “Apparently, there is an epidemic that is devouring inmates. We will denounce this situation inside and outside Brazil. We want it to become known to international human rights organizations,” said Hélio.
According to him, the OAB’s next step will be to send a letter to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, so that the State is formally held accountable. “We are going to modulate a letter so that Brazil is held responsible for crimes of human rights violations with PAMC inmates.”
Read original story in Portuguese.
Update: At 7:05 PM Eastern Standard time, January 17, a report reaching this publication has suggested that the outbreak is the result of the military testing biological weapons of war on prisoners. It somehow got out of control and can now affect the entire country. Please note that we have no evidence to back up this suggestion.
