Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 19, 2014 News
The first confirmed case of the Chikungunya virus in a Georgetown resident was “imported” from Berbice. This assertion
was made by Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, during an interview with this publication yesterday during which he intimated that extensive investigations were done to arrive at this conclusion.
This publication was informed that the latest confirmed case of the virus, a 28-year-old man residing in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was in fact evidence of the virus migrating to the capital city. However, the Health Minister was adamant that “all indications are that this is a Berbice incident. You can get malaria in the gold bush but give your address as Sussex Street or Diamond…” explained Dr. Ramsaran.
The investigation relating to this case, according to him, was thrust into the trained hands of Dr. Morris Edwards, an Epidemiologist, who is currently acting as Chief Medical Officer. “We spoke at length yesterday (Tuesday) and we even spoke at a joint meeting with PAHO, UNICEF and other members of the UN family and the Civil Defence Commission headed by Colonel Chabilall Ramsarup, in my office, and my Epidemiologist was advised to trace this particular case to its infinity,” the Health Minister informed.
He pointed out that Dr. Edwards “has reported nothing threatening or untoward. The latest understanding I have, is that this is a person residing in the city but having had his test and his engagement and his interactions of the disease, most likely, in the said restricted area where the other patients were discovered, that is, the restricted area of Berbice.”
Guyana recorded its first two confirmed cases of the virus in sections of Canje, Berbice in Region Six, a few weeks ago. Twelve more cases were subsequently confirmed in the Region Six locale and another seven cases after, including that of the West Ruimveldt resident.
Moreover, Guyana currently has recorded a total of 19 confirmed cases of the virus, Dr. Ramsaran said.
All of the cases were validated by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad. Blood samples were sent for testing based on the case definition that the local health sector has been embracing to track the virus.
The virus, which is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, is characterised by symptoms similar to that of dengue fever including fever, joint and muscle pains. Thus far, just over 150 blood samples have been sent to CARPHA for testing, the Minister asserted yesterday.
The West Ruimveldt resident, according to the Minister, is the only case that the Ministry has been able to confirm of a citizen residing outside of Berbice, as of yesterday.
This he based on daily epidemiological surveillance data acquired by his Ministry. “Our epidemiological surveys have not shown any other cases outside of Berbice; that is why that one was picked up so easily. The Ministry is so transparent that somebody didn’t have to pick it up and make a big rumour or big antics about it; the epidemiological significance was recognised immediately.”
As part of its continued efforts to tackle the virus, the Minister disclosed yesterday that the Ministry has had to rethink its call for persons to refrain from travelling in and out of the affected areas since according him, this would require “stringent measures, even the restricting of movement and so on…so we have decided against that and embrace transparency, openness and a proactive approach; like we did in the south of the city months ago.”
The Minister insisted that from the inception of his Ministry’s efforts to combat the virus, moves were made to embrace transparency so much so, that it was prepared to disclose the presence of the virus here six hours after it was confirmed by CARPHA. “We immediately held a press conference because we wanted to inform the media and we wanted the people to be informed,” said the Minister.
Aside from ensuring that their environments are clean and tidy and free of stagnant water to permit breeding the Chikungunya virus vector, Minister Ramsaran is also advising that people further safeguard themselves by opting to wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants, preferably of a light colour; wear socks; apply mosquito repellents to the exposed areas of their bodies and sleep under nettings to create a barrier between themselves and the mosquitos.
Minister Ramsaran in lashing out at Opposition comments regarding his Ministry’s work to combat the virus, observed that there have been some “misinformed and untimely” utterances. “They came on about two months after but we have been on top of our jobs since last year quietly…we have managed the public awareness programme excellently,” boasted the Minister.
In fact, he insisted that the tactic utilised by his Ministry was one designed to not “spook the Guyanese public or drive away investors and tourists by simply having a ‘big squeak’…we did the fogging, we did the residual spraying in the south of the city…we were shooting in the dark but from intelligent guess.”
“This has been expensive and tedious,” said the Minister of ongoing efforts which have seen intensified vector control work being undertaken not only in the capital city and Region Six but Region Five as well even as close attention is being directed to other Regions via continuous surveillance.
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