Just two days before celebrating her 102nd birthday, Marcelline Francois Letang, one of Dominica’s oldest living people passed away at the COVID-19 facility in Portsmouth.
The death of the Vielle Case resident, who’s originally from Thibaud, now takes the number of centenarians who have died for the year thus far to three and to 12 since March 2021, which the current first Vice President of the Dominica Council of Ageing (DCOA) Nigel Lawrence says is the highest number of deaths among centenarians which has been recorded the DCOA in any given year.
“We’ve had a few of them who have contracted the virus and recovered then a few weeks later, die. We’ve also had a few of them that have died directly from COVID and then we have a few of them who have died from natural causes attributed to the level of isolation because they’ve not been able to frequently interact with family members and loved ones as they should,” Lawrence told Dominica News Online (DNO).
In March of 2021, Dominica was said to have the highest number of centenarians per capita-27. During the following months, the country was also expected to celebrate the 100th milestone of several other gems, which would have taken the count past the 30 mark.
But sadly, with the rise of the COVID-19 cases on island, came an alarming decrease in the number of these jewels to the point where the country now has only has 15 centenarians, which Lawrence says is the lowest number that the DCOA has recorded.
“Their death is a concern to us in the sense that we recognize that COVID is a factor that we have to deal with it, but the rate at which our centenarians are dying is alarming to us and while we would like to stop this, sadly, there is very little that we can do,” he lamented.
The DCOA holds the view that there is a need for much more public education on caring for the elderly in the safest manner and advises the public -those who interact with the centenarians and or the elderly – to be conscious of the fact that they can be a transmitting agent of the virus to this group of very vulnerable individuals.
While he stressed the importance of ensuring that they maintain as much of a normal lifestyle as possible, which includes check ups by family, friends and loved ones, Lawrence urged the public to do so in the safest way possible.
“We would like to appeal to the general public to let them know that older people and the centenarians are very vulnerable and they are very frail and that their systems cannot take on the rigours of COVID. So if we could do as much as possible to minimise the transmission to them, then this will go a long way in ensuring that our gems live on,” he stated.
The Vice President is also appealing to any non-governmental organisation, businesses, individuals, to partner with them to provide monthly Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to the caretakers who interact with the centenarians and other older citizens daily.
Lawrence also notes that the DCOA is not ruling out the possibility of joining hands with the government to also get this done.
“Majority of the deaths come from the centenarians who have a caretaker who interacts with the public,” he pointed out. “The persons who take care of them are themselves are a threat in many instances, because they are the ones that are out there and they have a certain level of chance to contract the virus and transmit it to them and one of the concerns that we’re getting is that they would like to get more PPE’s, so we’re really hoping we can get some assistance in that regard.”
During the year 2020, a total of nine centenarians passed away.
The 15 centenarians left on island are Anastasie Charles better known as “Ma Maggie” of Wesley aged 107, 106-year-old Mr Oscar Phillip Joseph aka popeye, Mrs Mionette Gussi Bannis and Rennel Adrien -105 years, Asher McLawrence Timothy, Angela Cuffy and Elma Labad – 104 years, -olds , 103-year-olds Felicite Alexander (Nenen) and Hesketh Casimir, 102-year-olds Antonine Roberts and Celina George; 101-year-old Jane Graham, Edvira Anatol as well as Epheline Elizee Laville and the youngest, 100-year-old Veronique Durand.
According to the DCOA database, the number of living centenarians in Dominica is only projected to decrease, as no individual on island is expected to hit the 100th milestone this year.
For the record they could have said she recently moved to Vielle case. If a villager got married to and resided to her husbands village then she becomes a resident. If a person died at the hospital after 6 months that doesnt make them a resident of Roseau. That’s exactly what happened to Madeline Letang. If I did not make that observation I wonder how many Thibaud people living abroad would have known it was Nanine since we didnt know her as Macelline but Madelline . Furthermore that means a lot to us because she is our first centenarian
My condolences to Madelene family, Nannie may you RIP. May the almighty strengthen Sylvia, Doreen and others at this sad moment.
My sincere condolences to the Madeleines “Nannie” family. She will be truly missed.
Tessa Paul
My heartfelt sympathy to Marceline family beautiful lady may she RIP and may the others departed RJP.
You can tell they took good care of themselves. None of them 100+ at all. If I was to guess, I would say all of them were somewhere between 60-80. I pray I get to live as long as them & see my grandkids, great grandkids & so on. It must amazing & make you so proud getting to witness all the life created from hou
None of them LOOK* 100+ I meant
“The death of the Vielle Case resident, who’s originally from Thibaud…”
I know they (DCOA)made it clear that Marcelline Francois Letang, is originally from Thibaud but resided at Vieille Case. However that’s
a little disturbing for the people of Thibaud because it gives the impression that she was born in Thibaud but grew up in Vieille case. But for the record she is from Thibaud, lived all her life in Thibaud until after her 100th birthday she moved to Vieille case. We all knew her as Madeline aka “Nannie”. So Thibaud should not be discredited for once again for this very important milestone which is part of our history.
Skerrit already demolished our school built by EO Leblanc in 1974 and has our children packed in a little shed like smoke herring, as if to suggest we are too stupid to have a school and they gave Paix Bouche half our boundaries; that’s not enough then and now all you want to deprive us of little history of longevity?
“However that’s
a little disturbing for the people of Thibaud because it gives the impression that she was born in Thibaud but grew up in Vieille case”
How did you jump to that conclusion? “The death of the Vielle Case resident, who’s originally from Thibaud”. It means she’s from Thibaud but now resides in Vielle Case, that’s all. Exactly what it says. It’s YOU that interrupted it wrong. It doesn’t come across like they’re giving all the praise to Vielle Case at all, it’s just stating where she now lives
Here I go again with my spelling mistakes. No more rum for me
Interpreted*; not interrupted
Skerrit started the yes we care.Everyone of these people are getting $300 monthly.The UWP and their supporters are trying to prevent the people from getting money by destroying the CBI,chief offender Andre.This guy is a fake.Edincort Peter St.Valle was the personal driver and guard to Patrick Roland John.St.Valle also lived at the home of John at More Bruce for years.Irvin Andre writes a book about Patrick John and never interviewed St.Valle.These guys want to destroy Dominica and in the process destroy the senior citizens with lies and fake news.
The question should be asked is “How many of them received the jab”
So….your solution is to leave them home without treatment to die instead ?
Its hard for all of us, but anti-science rhetoric isn’t going to help anyone, especially our rhetoric. I’m sure the medical personnel are trying their best
Senjo CIA.
Why give elderly this kicking bucket vaccine? I know for sure 2 persons who got it & died. The niece over 80 years & the centenarian over 100 took the vaccine. Both dead within a few weeks. The UK came out with the truth – 9 out 0f 10 deaths were vaccinated persons, when will we own up & realize the many deaths of vaccinated persons both young, middle age and elderly here?
Can someone tell me why send elderly people to covid center in Portsmouth? Bedridden in many instances. Why the deception? Persons with no prior complaints, dead after taking the vac. Why encourage the fear syndrome using the elderly? Stop vaccinating them! The mask 24-7 hurting persons too and we will soon see the results showing in illness and death. So we do not need oxygen for the red blood cells? Please let us be wise before we see many more deaths. Have any one noticed the # of deaths recently? Lord have mercy and open our eyes. I feel for those who have to wear the mask all the time.
ADMIN: While the 9 out of 10 deaths figure does come from a report that figure alone does not give the full story. “those most likely to be vaccinated in the United Kingdom are the elderly, who are also most at risk of serious illness if they suffer a breakthrough infection. Source: ” https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2022/03/fact-check-fully-vaccinated-do-account-for-9-in-every-10-covid-deaths-in-england.html
What a shame and a pity; these people are our Endangered Species and so much more could have been done to ensure their safety and well-being, “yes we care”
Man, you talking nonsense, using terminology that you do not know the meaning!
In biology when we use the term species, we are talking about a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin binomial: i.e, Homo sapiens.
When we dealing in logic; the same term implies, a group subordinate to a genus and containing individuals agreeing in some common attributes and called by a common name.
Now learn this; the Bible teaches we should live for three scores and ten: that is sixty years plus ten years: 60+10= 70, then the Bible said by reason of strength we shall live beyond that!
Each of the individual in the picture have lived more than thirty years beyond seventy, and here you come talking crap about spices!
The lady from Wesley, I’ve known her forever, she looked a little different when I saw her 20 years…
I didn’t give a solution. I just asked a question. There’s nothing anti science about my question but I know where you’re coming from,. Anti science in terms of covid just mean being against the anti scientific roll out of the covid jab and all the protocols that came along with the virus. If that makes me anti science in terms of covid I’ll gladly accept the term
There is no such thing in medical science known as a covid, or COVID-19 “jab.”
What they developed, scientifically, and I may add is termed a “vaccine” which is a medication to counter the virus when it is injected into the human body!
The term jab is a British phrase, defined as “poke someone or something roughly or quickly, especially with something sharp or pointed.