Travel Ban Threatens Livelihoods on Distant Galapagos Islands
2020-05-20
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1On the Galapagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean, serious health problems are so rare that hospitals there were not equipped with intensive care areas.
2Then, the new coronavirus arrived.
3Now, officials are racing to equip medical teams on the distant islands with breathing machines called ventilators.
4But, they also are trying to deal with an economic crisis that has left many of the 30,000 islanders jobless.
5The island group's famous isolation, which was so important to the theories of naturalist Charles Darwin, has increased its hardship.
6For nearly two months, not a single tourist has visited the area.
7The Galapagos are considered a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
8Studies of the islands' ocean and bird wildlife have halted.
9People living there are making urgent changes, like growing carrots, peppers and tomatoes at home to increase the food supply.
10"Galapagos is the land of evolution," said Joseline Cardoso, whose small family-run hotel on Santa Cruz island is empty.
11"The animals have adapted and we humans cannot be the exception."
12The islands belong to Ecuador, which is among the Latin American nations hit hardest by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
13Officials on the islands believe their first cases probably came from Guayaquil, the mainland port where hospitals turned away patients and the dead went unburied for days.
14The Galapagos have been somewhat protected from what happens 1,000 kilometers away on the mainland.
15A financial crisis 20 years ago left many mainland Ecuadorians poor, but international tourism continued on the islands.
16Last year, over 275,000 people came to see the swimming iguanas, giant tortoises and sea birds with bright blue feet.
17Many islanders go to the mainland to see doctors or pay to have doctors to fly in for major events like childbirth.
18Islanders also depend on military aircraft to carry seriously sick patients to Quito or Guayaquil.
19Local people like to joke that, "In the Galapagos, it is prohibited to get sick."
20But the coronavirus changed everything.
21The islands' first four cases were discovered in late March.
22All are believed to have come from Guayaquil before a travel ban was in place.
23Soon after, officials announced the first COVID-19 death linked to the islands: a worker in his 60s.
24He had been on a large boat called the Celebrity Flora and became sick after returning to Quito.
25Now, there are more than 107 cases in the Galapagos.
26They include about 50 crew members still on the Celebrity Flora.
27The pleasure ship is operated by a part of Royal Caribbean Cruises.
28The passengers have left the ship and returned home.
29Officials have hurried to equip hospitals.
30 Currently, there are four intensive care beds - about one for every 7,500 residents - and one laboratory that can test for the virus.
31Most of the COVID-19 patients on the islands have had minor cases of sickness.
32Only two people were admitted to the hospital.
33The coronavirus' more damaging hit has been to tourism: Officials estimate the islands already have lost at least $50 million, one fourth of the expected yearly income.
34"The base of our economy has entirely collapsed," said Norman Wray, governor of the islands.
35"This is completely changing the future of tourism in the Galapagos."
36Ivan López, a guide and diving teacher, was at work sailing on a boat with tourists when Ecuador ordered everything closed.
37He got off the boat as ordered and was suddenly jobless.
38The 39-year-old father of two said he believes he can stretch his savings for six months.
39To help with food, he is growing a vegetable garden.
40Prices of goods have increased sharply.
41A recent purchase of disinfectant cost him $40 for about four liters.
42Joseline Cardoso dreamed up the idea of her six-room hotel when she was a student.
43She said the new reality feels like a nightmare.
44The hotel usually has a 75 percent occupation rate throughout the year, but travel to the Galapagos has been canceled through July.
45"To be with an empty hotel breaks your heart," she said.
46Ecuador's government has a three step plan to reopen the islands.
47But the plan does not include restarting national or international flights.
48For many islanders, the coronavirus has left them to think about their relationships with nature, industry and travel.
49Some wonder if they should remain so dependent on tourism.
50For Cardoso, the answer is in the story of the finches, penguins and tortoises, the animals that brought Darwin to the islands so many years ago.
51"We have to put in practice the lesson of our history," she said.
52"We have to adapt."
53I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.
1On the Galapagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean, serious health problems are so rare that hospitals there were not equipped with intensive care areas. 2Then, the new coronavirus arrived. 3Now, officials are racing to equip medical teams on the distant islands with breathing machines called ventilators. But, they also are trying to deal with an economic crisis that has left many of the 30,000 islanders jobless. 4The island group's famous isolation, which was so important to the theories of naturalist Charles Darwin, has increased its hardship. 5For nearly two months, not a single tourist has visited the area. The Galapagos are considered a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Studies of the islands' ocean and bird wildlife have halted. People living there are making urgent changes, like growing carrots, peppers and tomatoes at home to increase the food supply. 6"Galapagos is the land of evolution," said Joseline Cardoso, whose small family-run hotel on Santa Cruz island is empty. "The animals have adapted and we humans cannot be the exception." 7The islands belong to Ecuador, which is among the Latin American nations hit hardest by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. 8Officials on the islands believe their first cases probably came from Guayaquil, the mainland port where hospitals turned away patients and the dead went unburied for days. 9The Galapagos have been somewhat protected from what happens 1,000 kilometers away on the mainland. A financial crisis 20 years ago left many mainland Ecuadorians poor, but international tourism continued on the islands. Last year, over 275,000 people came to see the swimming iguanas, giant tortoises and sea birds with bright blue feet. 10Many islanders go to the mainland to see doctors or pay to have doctors to fly in for major events like childbirth. Islanders also depend on military aircraft to carry seriously sick patients to Quito or Guayaquil. 11Local people like to joke that, "In the Galapagos, it is prohibited to get sick." But the coronavirus changed everything. 12The islands' first four cases were discovered in late March. All are believed to have come from Guayaquil before a travel ban was in place. Soon after, officials announced the first COVID-19 death linked to the islands: a worker in his 60s. He had been on a large boat called the Celebrity Flora and became sick after returning to Quito. 13Now, there are more than 107 cases in the Galapagos. They include about 50 crew members still on the Celebrity Flora. The pleasure ship is operated by a part of Royal Caribbean Cruises. The passengers have left the ship and returned home. 14Officials have hurried to equip hospitals. Currently, there are four intensive care beds - about one for every 7,500 residents - and one laboratory that can test for the virus. 15Most of the COVID-19 patients on the islands have had minor cases of sickness. Only two people were admitted to the hospital. 16The coronavirus' more damaging hit has been to tourism: Officials estimate the islands already have lost at least $50 million, one fourth of the expected yearly income. 17"The base of our economy has entirely collapsed," said Norman Wray, governor of the islands. "This is completely changing the future of tourism in the Galapagos." 18Ivan López, a guide and diving teacher, was at work sailing on a boat with tourists when Ecuador ordered everything closed. He got off the boat as ordered and was suddenly jobless. The 39-year-old father of two said he believes he can stretch his savings for six months. To help with food, he is growing a vegetable garden. 19Prices of goods have increased sharply. A recent purchase of disinfectant cost him $40 for about four liters. 20Joseline Cardoso dreamed up the idea of her six-room hotel when she was a student. She said the new reality feels like a nightmare. The hotel usually has a 75 percent occupation rate throughout the year, but travel to the Galapagos has been canceled through July. 21"To be with an empty hotel breaks your heart," she said. 22Ecuador's government has a three step plan to reopen the islands. But the plan does not include restarting national or international flights. 23For many islanders, the coronavirus has left them to think about their relationships with nature, industry and travel. Some wonder if they should remain so dependent on tourism. 24For Cardoso, the answer is in the story of the finches, penguins and tortoises, the animals that brought Darwin to the islands so many years ago. 25"We have to put in practice the lesson of our history," she said. "We have to adapt." 26I'm Mario Ritter, Jr. 27Christine Armario and Adrian Vasquez reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. 28________________________________________________________________ 29Words in This Story 30isolation -n. the state of being separated from others 31tourist -n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure 32evolution -n. the theory that the differences between modern plants and animals arise naturally from very small changes taking place of very long periods of time 33adapt -v. to change to meet new conditions or changes in the environment 34prohibit -v. to ban or bar 35nightmare -v. a dream that frightens a sleeping person: a very bad dream