Scared and running out of food - Jamaicans in China call for help

Shelly-Ann Brooks is a Jamaican citizen living in China for almost five years, and is absolutely terrified. Brooks left Jamaica in 2015 to teach English and has been living in Shenyang City, Liaoning, ever since.

It was all smooth sailing until the mysterious new coronavirus that first surfaced in Wuhan, China, started spreading rapidly throughout the country.

"I am very scared. I don't want to go out and ultimately contract the virus," she told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Locking herself inside her apartment to shield herself from the virus that has now spread to every region in the country, claiming the lives of 170 people, Brooks is running low on food and water.

"Where getting food is concerned, I'm being challenged. Currently, I am almost out of food and water. I have half bottle of drinking water left, literally. Some stores are open but I am afraid of going outside to get in contact with other people. I could very well come in contact with someone who would have just contracted the virus and would not have known that they're within that incubation period and infect me," she shared timidly.

Brooks said that has been "minimal" coverage of the outbreak in the press, adding that, "Most of us really became more cognisant of the virus when friends and relatives messaged us about it, and so we took it up on ourselves to do our independent research."

And even if she musters up the courage to go outside and stock up on food, Brooks said there is another major issue.

"I am being challenged financially as well. Having to purchase an influx of food is something that most of us haven't budgeted for, especially since it's the Lunar New Year, and many of us would have spent money on prospective travels," she said.

As her food supply trickles down little by little, she grows even more terrified.

"It's scary ... very scary, and I hope that it dies down very soon. I have to be very careful of how I eat. It's not time to be greedy. My rice has to be measured when cooking and my stomach has to be 'satisfied' with whatever little I give it because I'm trying to make food last as long as possible."

Jody and Lisa, who sent a letter to The Gleaner on Thursday, expressed similar fear.

"As Jamaican citizens who have acquired it by birth, we are deeply saddened with how the Government has turn a blind eye to our cause here. Do we have to fall victims to this virus before they render some assistance?," the writers asked. They said that among the issues they have to deal with are increases in the price of "whatever food is left on the shelves" and masks, and are disheartened that the Jamaican Government has not done more to help them.

"Are they going to wait until we starve to death or the virus kills us?" they asked.