A week later, health authorities handed over to relatives what they thought were Maruri's remains. Health workers on Friday returned to
the family's home in Guayaquil, the epicenter of Ecuador's outbreak.
“An ambulance arrived with a doctor, a psychiatrist and the social worker. They apologized, and they tell us 'Your sister is alive,' and
we were in shock,” said Aura Maruri. “It is a miracle of God what has
happened.”
Maruri was suspected to have contracted COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, but was never diagnosed with it
because she was not tested.
Her family was not able to visit her until Saturday because of curfew measures enacted to prevent the continued spread of the disease.
Aura Maruri says she does not know what to do with the metal chest holding the ashes of the body delivered by mistake.
“I couldn't sleep because I was afraid they would take her (remains) to those containers for the dead,” said Maruri, referring to
refrigerated containers set up as mobile morgues as the pandemic spread
through Guayaquil.
“There was a failure by the hospital.”
The incident underlines the difficulties facing Ecuador, where the coronavirus pandemic has overwhelmed the health system and left
sanitary workers struggling to collect and identify the burgeoning
number of bodies.
Reuters was unable immediately to obtain comment from Alba Maruri or from Abel Gilbert Ponton Hospital, where she is still being treated
but is no longer in intensive care.
Health Minister Juan Carlos Zevallos told reporters that case was under investigation, adding that health authorities guarantee the
identification of corpses and that hospitals keep track of the deceased.
The country has recorded nearly 23,000 cases of the coronavirus, 576 deaths, and another 1,060 people who are suspected to have died from
it.
But the government recognizes that the total number of deaths during the pandemic has been much higher than normal, and that many have
died before being tested.
