Coronavirus: Dubai mum describes anguish of being separated from young daughter

Toddler Skye is being looked after by her nanny while her parents attempt to fly back from South Africa

Dubai mum Chiara Maioni and husband Mark have been in South Africa since March 12. Courtesy: Chiara Maioni

A UAE mother stranded in South Africa has described the anguish of being separated from her two-year-old daughter.

Chiara Maioni, 42, and her husband Mark left the Emirates for a nine-day holiday to Cape Town on March 12 to see friends.

Thinking their toddler, Skye, would be fine without them for a short time, they left her in the care of her nanny in Dubai.

But as the coronavirus pandemic worsened and governments around the world took steps to increase travel restrictions, the couple found they could no longer return home.

"The reality is that it is simply heart breaking on so many levels being away from my daughter," Ms Maioni told The National.

South Africa also went into lockdown on the March 27, so we've been trapped here

“Watching her reaching to the [mobile phone] screen as we talk on video call, her disappointment at not being able to interact properly and her repeated ‘mummy, daddy, come home’ references brings me to tears.”

Ms Maioni, who is originally from Italy, has lived in the UAE for 16 years. Her husband, 53, a British lawyer, has worked in the Emirates for two decades.

The couple’s initial plan was to fly back home from South Africa after a short break on March 21.

But when it became apparent that countries were having to close their borders in an effort to limit the spread of Covid-19, they booked an earlier flight home.

They secured seats for the afternoon of March 19 but woke up that morning to learn the UAE had suspended entry into the county for all UAE residents.

By March 25, in line with many other nations, the country then suspended all flights into and out of the Emirates.

Toddler Skye at home in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

"South Africa also went into lockdown on March 27 so we've been trapped here," said Ms Maioni, who works as a freelance and advertising producer.

“It’s best if I – the mum – get to return, at least. A child needs her mother.

“We didn’t take her along with us because she is a two-year-old who was born prematurely and it seemed more sensible for her to stay home.”

Skye with Irish Marie, the family's housemaid (L) and Jonalyn Lupa, her nanny. Antonie Robertson / The National

In their absence, the couple’s live-in Filipina housemaid, Irish Marie, and their new nanny have been looking after Skye.

The duo have been doing everything possible to keep the toddler entertained, assuring her that her parents were returning home soon.

“She’s such a sweet child and she misses her parents,” said Ms Marie.

“Each morning, she goes around the entire house looking for her parents and we try to distract her and say ‘mummy will be back soon’.”

Ms Maioni and her husband have continued to try and make arrangements to get back to the UAE.

They have registered on the Twajudi app, an initiative launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation to assist Emirates residents abroad.

Authorities, who are prioritising emergency cases as they repatriate the public, have said there are currently around 29,000 UAE residents overseas.

"Skye was a miracle baby for us," said Ms Maioni, who talks to Skye via online video calls two or three times a day.

“I suffered a major brain trauma a few years ago after I was hit by a speeding taxi driver. The doctors told me it was unlikely I would be able to get pregnant.

“But Skye wanted to be born and at the age 40 I became pregnant.

“We’ve been told once we get an approval SMS, it’ll be our turn for the evacuation flight, but we are still waiting.”

Alessandro Neto, the Deputy Ambassador of the Italian embassy in Abu Dhabi, told The National they were also aware of Ms Maioni's case and were trying to help.

They said two Italians who were UAE residents were still stuck in foreign countries.

“We are in touch both with our nationals and with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said.

“The Ministry has been officially informed by the Embassy about the urgency of the most humanitarian cases and we are doing our best to help them.”

Meanwhile, on Monday a pregnant American woman was flown back to Dubai from the United States after assistance from the UAE government.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, personally intervened when he heard about her situation.