Announcement

**Shiloh** · June 6, 2008, 11:34 PM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index...s?id=161335137

'Brace for dengue'
Weather perfect for deadly Aedes
Louis B Homer South Bureau

Saturday, June 7th 2008

Trinidadians should brace for an increase in dengue cases this year, health officials said yesterday.

The Pan American Health Organisation has reported that due to the change in weather patterns, there would be an increase in the swarms of mosquitoes that transmit the virus, a virologist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Express.

Last year the Ministry of Health reported more than 500 cases of dengue.

This year's figure could reach 1,000 and people should take every precaution to ensure that their premises did not harbour containers in which mosquitoes could breed, the virologist said.

He warned that with the advent of the rainy season "we are on the lookout for more cases of dengue".

Dengue is spread from the bite of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito.

Last week, 34-year-old Illicia Motilal, of Tabaquite, died from dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Another woman, who also contracted the dreaded virus, was taken into hospital on time for early treatment and she survived the attack.

Seven other members of the Motilal family were also treated for dengue fever. Four other people from Tabaquite were admitted to hospital with suspected dengue this week.

The virologist said: "The Ministry of Health should mount an early preventive programme by carrying out a house-to-house survey to warn householders about the dangers of keeping containers in which the mosquitoes could breed."

He said concerns were expressed in some quarters about certain chemicals that were currently used, by the Insect Vector Control Division of the Ministry of Health, to spray areas to get rid of mosquitoes.

"I think the Ministry needs to do a re-assessment of the chemicals they use in spraying," the virologist said.

**Shiloh** · August 15, 2008, 07:05 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,84421.html

No Dengue outbreak in TT
By LARA PICKFORD-GORDON Friday, August 15 2008

THERE is no Dengue outbreak in the country, according to Health Minister Jerry Narace.

At a post-Cabinet media briefing at Whitehall yesterday, Narace sought to refute media reports of a dengue outbreak in different parts of the country. Dengue is a viral illness transmitted from the bite of an infected aedes aegypti mosquito.

He provided a definition of ?outbreak? from the Controlled Diseases Manual (2004) which states ?the term outbreak occurs when there is an increased number of cases above the expected number of persons with a disease which may be of public concern.?

Narace sought to show there was no outbreak by providing statistics over the years. Up to the middle of this year, he said, there were 120 cases of dengue reported. For 1990, there were 528 cases, 1996 ? 395 and for 2002, 447 cases.

?Clearly, the figure for 2008 is quite below the mid-average which is 228 for the previous three years,? Narace said.

He added that there was no dengue outbreak in the counties of Victoria, Caroni and St Patrick and the number of dengue cases have decreased over the years. Narace said there were 32 cases in St Patrick in 2002 but by the 28th week of this year there were six. Caroni had 37 cases in 2002 and five this year and St Patrick had 15 cases in 2002 and three this year.

?I have checked with our CMO (Chief Medical Officer) and from the period 2003 and now there have been no confirmed cases of dengue haemorrhagic fever.?

Referring to the death of eight-year-old Sasha Bickram from Dengue fever last Saturday at the San Fernando General Hospital, Narace said his Ministry was awaiting the pathologist report before saying her death was due to dengue. At Bickram?s funeral yesterday, relatives said the death certificate showed complications arising out of dengue fever as the cause of death.

Narace said the cyclical trend of dengue was related to warm temperatures and abundant rainfall trends over the past few months. He said the Director General of the World Health Organisation had said weather patterns were ?expected to alter the geographical distribution of insect vectors that spread infectious diseases, such as malaria and dengue.?

Narace said according to the met office the rainfall patterns were quite high at the time of peaks in the number of dengue cases. He said in 1996 there was 1,807.3 mm of rainfall, in 2002 there was 1,935 mm and from January to July there was 737 mm.

Narace said his Ministry was working with the Ministry of Local Government to take the necessary precaution to ensure dengue did not escalate. He said in June an Integrated Plan for the management of dengue was established. The Ministries are implementing an integrated Local Government policy.

**Shiloh** · August 16, 2008, 06:35 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,84495.html

Dengue in East Trinidad

By Sandra Singh Saturday, August 16 2008

A two-year-old girl is warded at the Sangre Grande Hospital suffering signs of dengue fever, and residents of Poole Village, Biche and Plum Mitan yesterday insisted that there was an unusually high number of persons afflicted with the deadly virus.

They have since called for immediate steps to be taken to ensure the situation does not become out of control.

On Thursday, Health Minister Jerry Narace said there was no outbreak of dengue fever in Trinidad and Tobago. There have been six confirmed cases at the Sangre Grande hospital but residents are saying that many more persons have since contracted the virus. Rajendra Rampaul, 24, who visited the Sangre Grande Hospital several times for medical aid for the past week, told Newsday, yesterday, that private medical test results have shown that he tested positive for dengue.

Rampaul, whose skin was blistering red due to high fever was visibly weak and said that for the past three days he has visited the Sangre Grande Hospital suffering with all signs of dengue fever but was sent home.

?I went to the hospital on Wednesday and after waiting several hours was just given an injection and sent home. Right now I have tested positive for dengue. I am tired of going to the hospital because they just keep sending me back home. I am weak, suffering from high fever and immense pain,? said Rampaul.

He said that he and his mother have paid $400 each to have medical tests done privately. The results, he said, showed that they both tested positive for dengue fever.

?My mother was warded at hospital since Thursday with high fever and bleeding from the mouth. The doctors are saying that it is dengue,? said Rampaul.

Deosaran Sookram, who was kept in hospital for five days, said he, too, tested positive for dengue fever. ?We went to a private doctor and were then taken to the hospital and I were warded for almost one week,? said Deosaran. Deosaran?s wife, Sumatie, complained that personnel at the hospital took hours before rendering any assistance to the sick patients.

?When you go to the hospital they are just putting you on a wheelchair and not seeing about you for hours,? said Sumatie.

She added that there was also a two-year-old baby girl at hospital suffering from the same symptoms of dengue fever.

?There are dengue fever cases from Biche to Poole Village to Plum Mitan. People are bleeding through their mouths,? said Gulcharan Mahadeo.

Shaffiran Mowlah, another resident of Poole Village in Biche, said that her daughter was warded at hospital for ten days and was even in a coma for three days.

?She had all the signs of dengue and they did a lot of tests but hospital authorities did not want to tell us whether it was dengue or not,? said Mowlah. She added that members of four households in her area also had to seek medical assistance after falling ill. These cases were however not confirmed by tests or doctors as dengue cases.

At the post-Cabinet media conference on Thursday, Health Minister Jerry Narace refuted media reports of a dengue outbreak in several parts of the country and stated that up to the middle of this year, there were 120 dengue cases reported as compared to the previous years where in 1990 there were 528 cases, 395 cases in 1996 and 447 cases in 2002.
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**Shiloh** · August 17, 2008, 06:11 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,84548.html

Dengue outbreak? Some doctors say yes

By FELICIA RAMPERSAD Sunday, August 17 2008

DOCTORS AT the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) have confirmed that there is a dengue outbreak in Trinidad, refuting Health Minister, Jerry Narace?s assurance that there is no outbreak.

Defining an outbreak as ?two or more persons diagnosed with a particular disease from the same house or village,? medical authorities noted that two linked cases of an infectious disease are usually sufficient to constitute an outbreak.

In terms of the above definition, the medical authorities say it is evident that the country is experiencing a dengue outbreak as there are confirmed cases of the disease in Freeport, Sangre Grande and Princes Town. However, the situation has not yet reached to an epidemic, which is when a region in a country or a group of countries is affected.

But Health Minister, Jerry Narace, recently declared the Ministry?s intention to launch a nationwide campaign to curb the spread of disease by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito.

Meanwhile, the doctors lashed out at the media , claiming that their reports are causing unnecessary anxiety. ?This is a usual situation for us every year and the population is becoming scared. Everybody who now thinks they have a fever is rushing to the hospital and that is why there are no beds. Ten to 15 sick persons are now left without a bed. And the media is adding to it,? one said.

But at SFGH, the situation remained the same. Andy Sooklal, 24, was discharged on Friday although still experiencing some symptoms, after being warded for almost a week. Newsday learnt that Sooklal?s eight-month-old daughter is currently warded at the SFGH and being treated for dengue.

A relative said that doctors told Sooklal that he was not supposed to be discharged as yet. He said, ?They said that dengue does not have a cure and that all they have to take are antibiotics. What kind of treatment are people getting in the hospital?? The relative added that he was concerned for the baby, since eight-year-old Sasha Bickram from Freeport had reportedly died of dengue fever.

The Congress of the People (COP) agreed with the view that there is an outbreak in Trinidad and Tobago and in a release, stated that Narace should tender his resignation for ?falsely misleading the public of Trinidad and Tobago on what is obviously an outbreak of dengue and for his lack of proper management of his Ministry.?

The release continued that it is disturbing that hospitals cannot get back dengue test results earlier than two weeks from the Trinidad Public Laboratory, while patients can get it done within one hour at a private laboratory. The release stated: ?The party believes this reflects the poor allocation of resources and management starting from the top of the Ministry of Health with unfortunate repercussions to the unsuspecting public of Trinidad and Tobago.?

**Shiloh** · August 21, 2008, 05:01 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,84763.html

MPATT: There are 2 dengue deaths

Thursday, August 21 2008

ALTHOUGH not disclosing names of the victims and other details, the Medical Professionals Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MPATT) yesterday acknowledged, in a release, that the association is aware of two confirmed deaths due to the dengue virus this year. Both cases were confirmed by the Trinidad Public Health Laboratory (TPHL) and occurred in March and July this year.

?The dengue threat is real and any attempt to bury one?s head in the proverbial sand is misguided and only serves to detract attention from the public health measures that need to be addressed as a matter of urgency,? MPATT said.

MPATT is also calling on the Health Ministry to outline the measures that have been put in place to ensure adequate resources to deal with dengue.

**Shiloh** · August 21, 2008, 05:04 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,84750.html

Dengue diagnosis
By CAROL MATROO Thursday, August 21 2008

There are six more confirmed cases of dengue in Freeport, in the communities of Chickland and Mission Road.

Dengue, spread by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, is now a major concern in the country, following the death of eight-year-old Sasha Bickram at the San Fernando General Hospital on August 10.

A copy of the child?s death certificate stated that the cause of death was due to dengue, acute bleeding, sickle thalesemmia (low blood count).

Health Minister Jerry Narace, although admitting that Sasha had dengue, maintained that the disease was not the primary cause of her death. However, he has disclosed that there are 120 confirmed cases in the country. Yesterday, some of the people who contracted dengue in recent weeks spoke to Newsday about their health scare.

When Nisha Bachan?s eight-year-old daughter Shereen Badal became ill with a high fever and was experiencing pain throughout her small body, she rushed the child to the doctor who at first said Shereen did not have symptoms of dengue.

However, Bachan?s concern for her daughter increased ten-fold because she lives opposite the house where Sasha lived on Mission Road, and Shereen began feeling ill again the morning that Sasha died.

?That is what had me worried. When one of the health workers passed around spraying, he said Shereen was not looking well and I should take her to the doctor,? Bachan said.

A blood test conducted on Shereen at Victoria Laboratories Ltd on August 14 tested positive for the presence of the dengue virus. Her doctor advised that she be taken to the hospital.

She was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, on August 15 where she was given medication and intravenous fluids (drips) and kept overnight for observation as her blood platelet level was low. Another blood test was done the next morning (August 16) before she left the hospital which showed that the platelet level had increased.

Taslima Hosein, 15, and her father Rasheed Hosein, who are from Mission Road, both contracted dengue on August 3.

Taslima said she began experiencing body aches, fever, nausea and dizziness after her father experienced similar symptoms the night before. They both had blood tests done which confirmed the presence of the dengue virus.

Although Taslima was released on August 12 after being warded at the San Fernando General Hospital for four days, she said she was still weak.

Teacher Delia Birbal, 29, thought she had an allergic reaction when her hands and feet began to itch. She got the fever on July 14 and went to the doctor the next day. She was given medication and sent home.

When the itching began, Birbal, who lives in Chickland, called a friend asking what she should buy for allergies.

?That?s when she told me that it sounded like dengue. But even when I went to the nursing home, the doctor told me I did not look like I had dengue,? Birbal said, adding that she still feels weak. She did a blood test at the nursing home and the result for the dengue virus was positive. She spent two days at the nursing home.

Businessman Jeewan Kurjah, of Mission Road, said he experienced ?fever in the bones? on August 6 and thought he had the common flu. When he started feeling dizzy and was experiencing pain in his belly and back, he went to his doctor. The fever had passed by that time.

But the fever returned and this time, Kurjah went to Medical Associates in St Joseph for a blood test which proved positive for dengue.

?They admitted me one time because they said my platelet level was dropping. I stayed for four days and I received seven bags of drips. I am feeling better, but I?m still weak,? he said.

One resident of Mission Road, Ramona Sharon Kurjah, Sasha?s and Kurjah?s relative, said instead of putting doubts into the people?s minds, the Health Minister should try to put their minds at ease.

?He is trying to tell the people there is no dengue and that this is not a serious issue, but look at the amount of cases we have in close proximity. He needs to send people from the ministry to talk with the villagers.?
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**Shiloh** · August 22, 2008, 07:45 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,84827.html
Dengue suspected in Arima death

By CAROL MATROO Friday, August 22 2008

Another case of death believed to have been caused by dengue has surfaced.

Businessman Gary Phillip, 42, died over two weeks ago as his brother, Keith, rushed him to Medical Associates in St Joseph in an attempt to save his life.

Phillip had been vomiting blood and was bleeding through his nose at the time.

Keith now feels that had his brother been given the proper treatment, he might still be alive today.

?Gary had gone on a river lime and apparently was bitten by mosquitoes there. That was Saturday and by Tuesday, he was complaining of feeling feverish, but did not seem bothered. He just took the usual medication for the flu and left it at that,? Keith said yesterday.

He said his brother?s health did not improve so he went to his doctor on the Friday where he received more medication for the flu.

?The doctor did not do any test, but Gary (Phillip) suspected that he had dengue when he was not getting better, but he remained home until Monday when he decided to go for a test at a clinic in Arima when it was too late. He tested positive for dengue.

?He was administered about three bags of drips because he was very weak. I thought he should have been hospitalised, but I am not a doctor so I left it up to the doctor to make the judgement call,? Keith said.

He said the doctor advised him to take his brother home and bring him back the next day, but Keith felt that if his brother had been sent to a hospital, he would have had a fighting chance.

?My brother was a robust, fit person. He was always exercising and running...That day he could not even stand on his own, he said he could not feel his legs.

?Just imagine, the doctor told me I had nothing to worry about, but he had to leave the clinic in a wheelchair...A big, strapping, vibrant man. Something was wrong,? Keith said.

Keith said he paid no heed to the doctor, but bundled his brother into his car after he started bringing up blood, but by then it was too late.

?When I got there (Medical Associates) I asked the doctors to help him. They took him to emergency and gave him electric shocks and CPR, but nothing helped. He was gone,? Keith said.

He said he was questioned by doctors at the private institution as to why he was sent home by the doctor at the Arima clinic. Keith said now was a difficult time for his family.

?Right now it?s like I lost my right hand. It?s hard to come to terms with his death. The (Health) Ministry has to take precautionary measures and make the public more aware of what is happening,? Keith said. He added that an autopsy was performed, but samples were sent to Cariri for confirmation of death due to dengue.

?They said it would be a month or two before we get the results, but we know it was dengue,? he said.

**Shiloh** · August 23, 2008, 07:54 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news...--17-17--.html

Twenty-five cases of dengue reported in Trinidad & Tobago
Published on Saturday, August 23, 2008

By Oscar Ramjeet
Caribbean Net News Special Correspondent
Email: oscar@caribbeannetnews.com

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Twenty five cases of dengue fever have been diagnosed this month at the Sangre Grande Medical Laboratory in Trinidad, according to the lab's clinical director, Anthony Lokai.

The Trinidad Express reported on Friday that the lab director said that, despite what was being said by the Ministry of Health, the situation was "really bad" in Sangre Grande.

He said so far for the month of August, "We have confirmed 25 people for dengue and had to refer ten of them for hospitalisation."

The Ministry of Health denied last week that eight year old Sashha Bickram died from dengue, but nevertheless ordered an investigation into her death.

It has also been reported that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Local Government have now joined forces to combat the deadly disease.

Lokai believes that the spraying and clean-up being done by the Tunapuuna/Piarco Regional Corporation are not enough to reduce the mosquito infestations the community has seen within recent times.

The most recent communities to report infection with the disease are Moka Heights, Maraval and Mafeking Village in Mayaro.

Greta Martinm, a resident of Moka Heights, where three people have been confirmed with dengue, told the Express that the dengue situation has escalated into an "epidemic"

**Shiloh** · August 27, 2008, 07:31 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,85104.html

Dengue has killed 2

By CAROL MATROO Wednesday, August 27 2008

HEALTH Minister Jerry Narace has changed his tune on the dengue fever scourge. Yesterday, he admitted that there were two dengue-related deaths in the country this year and that the public, ?must treat mosquitoes as a national menace and a personal enemy.?

Only last week, Narace publicly stated there was no dengue outbreak in the country and to his knowledge, no one had died from the disease this year.

However, at an Inter-Sectoral Forum on Dengue at Crowne Plaza, Port-of-Spain yesterday, Narace admitted that his ministry had been expecting an increase in dengue cases and was planning for such an eventuality since last December.

Narace said allocations for goods and services to deal with dengue have increased from $1,030,216 to $6,081,323 in 2008.

At yesterday?s forum, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Anton Cumberbatch said there were 1,000 reported suspected cases of dengue in the country this year and that the last major dengue outbreak was in 2002, with 6,308 reported cases.

The CMO said looking at this pattern, 2008 can be ?a very challenging year for TT with respect to dengue.?

He said the objective is to prevent the increasing number of reported cases in order not to have a repeat of 2002. Cumberbatch added that the most important thing to do is reduce mosquito breeding sites as the aedes aegypti mosquitoes will breed in and around every single home, once there is clean, stagnant water.

The CMO said the people must be vigilant, ?but not to the point of panic. Narace urged doctors and health care workers to diagnose patients by clinical tests and symptoms. Dr Dave Chadee of the Department of Life Sciences at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, said Government could not work alone to fight dengue, but needed assistance form other quarters, including Local Government, WASA and the Met Services.

Head of Insect Vector Control Division (IVCD) Dr Clive Teeluckdharry said in 2007, 538,227 homes were inspected for mosquitoes and 47,426 were treated.

He said the IVCD either sprayed, fogged or used intradomicillary.

Teeluckharry added that one way of getting rid of the mosquitoes biologically is to use guppies or ?jumping guabines (a fresh water fish) in underground drainage.
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**Shiloh** · August 28, 2008, 06:04 PM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,85166.html

30 suspected dengue cases at Sangre Grande Hospital

Thursday, August 28 2008

THERE have been over 30 admissions for queries for dengue at the Sangre Grande District Hospital for August, 2008.

Chairman of the Eastern Regional Health Authority, Ronald Tsoi-a-Fatt said even though the hospital uses the Rapid Testing Kits, the tests cannot be confirmed until sent to the Public Health Laboratories.

A hospital source yesterday claimed that there were 17 patients warded at the facility with dengue, a figure that Tsoi-a-Fatt said he could not confirm, but admitted the number could be correct.

A 23-year-year-old man from Sangre Grande was admitted to the hospital on Monday night after he tested positive for dengue at a private lab.

?Reports are made out by the community liaison unit and sent to primary care. Once the report reaches primary care, public health officers will visit the home and also visit homes 125 metres from the patient?s home, because that is the flight span of the aedes aegypti mosquito,? Tsoi-a-Fatt explained. Meanwhile, at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, there have been over 200 people tested for dengue between the months of July and August.

**Shiloh** · September 16, 2008, 11:38 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,86311.html

160 dengue cases in 15 days

By STACY MOORE Tuesday, September 16 2008

A SENIOR source within the Ministry of Health yesterday revealed that in the first 15 days of this month, there have been 160 confirmed cases of dengue fever in South Trinidad.

Most of the cases, the source said, were reported in Penal, Debe, La Romaine, Mayaro and Rio Claro and include several children. Of the 160 cases, 48 were reported in the Rio Claro and Mayaro districts and 25 cases in Penal and Debe.

Within the past three weeks, four people have reportedly died from dengue fever complications, the source said.

The victims are Anand Dwarika of Penal; Aziza Ali, 35, of Princes Town; Rishi Mahabir, 30, and Ramlal Moonesar, 60, of Mayaro. The most recent death was that of Moonesar, a pensioner of Ecclesville in Mayaro who died last week Wednesday at the Sangre Grande District Hospital.

Moonesar?s niece, Jodie, 21, told Newsday she too was currently recovering from dengue fever. ?My uncle was cremated last week and every time I still watch his death certificate and seeing what he died from, I know it could have been me,? she sobbed.

She said her uncle began experiencing intense pains, had a high fever and was vomiting intensely. ?We realised something was wrong when he fainted on the kitchen floor two days before his death. He was taken to the Rio Claro Heath Centre and transferred to the Sangre Grande Hospital and he died,? Jodie said.

Dwarika?s wife Sabita told Newsday that the death certificate stated her husband died from dengue. ?The autopsy was done and his blood sample was taken, but I was told I still have to wait a month before I get the results,? Sabita said. ?He had fever for a few days then the next thing, he was gone.?

Another reported dengue victim Aziza Ali, 35, was five months pregnant when she died three weeks ago at the San Fernando General hospital. Ali?s husband Shameed of Princes Town told Newsday he was expecting his wife to deliver a baby, but instead lost both mother and child.

Asked about the autopsy report, he said: ?What will an autopsy do for me? It is just for records...it will not bring back my wife.?

The Penal/Debe Regional Corp-oration has recently conducted extensive spraying in Penal and outlying districts.

**Shiloh** · September 26, 2008, 08:55 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.i955fm.com/News.aspx?id=4824

Dengue Cases In Tobago Has Been Put At 20,A Jump From 9 Two Weeks Ago..
September 26th 2008.

Confirmed Dengue cases in Tobago are now being put at 20, a jump from 9 two weeks ago.

County Medical Officer of Health Mentor Melville confirmed the new figure yesterday.

He said the patients come from several parts of Tobago, including Calder Hall and Bethel.

Doctor Melville says those confirmed cases have been treated.

He is again calling on the people of Tobago to clean up their surroundings and ensure that stagnant water around their homes is discarded.

Doctor Melville is assuring that his department will continues its public outreach all over the island.

When the cases were 9, Doctor Melville said there was an outbreak of the disease on the island.

Meanwhile there continue to be reported dengue cases in Trinidad.

The latest claim is coming from the Mayaro and Rio Claro areas where there has reportedly been an increase in the number of cases.

Chairman of the Mayaro Rio Claro Regional Corporation Ramlochan Panchoo is reported as saying that there are 78 cases with 4 deaths.

**Shiloh** · October 6, 2008, 04:06 PM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news...--17-17--.html

PAHO team going to Trinidad to look at dengue situation

Published on Monday, October 6, 2008

By Oscar Ramjeet
Caribbean Net News Special Correspondent
Email: oscar@caribbeannetnews.com

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: A team of experts from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is due in Trinidad this week to look at reports of an outbreak of dengue in the twin-island Republic.

The announcement was made by Health Minister Jerry Narace in Parliament while speaking on the Budget Debate. Narace said that although he was satisfied that there was no outbreak in the country, he nevertheless sought the best assistance since serious allegations have been made that there was an outbreak and several persons have died.

The Trinidad Express newspaper reported that Narace said that he cut short a medical conference in Washington to address the House on the issue and disclosed that he met PAHO's representative Dr. Carol Boyd-Scobie at the conference and arrangements were made for the team to visit the country next week.

Opposition Member of Parliament, Dr Tim Gopeesingh had written the Director of Public Prosecutions requesting him to look into the possibility of prosecuting the Health Minister and the Chief Medical Officer, for their neglect in causing the outbreak which led to deaths.

The Health Minister described Goopesingh's allegations as malicious and preposterous and said that his Ministry had spent more than $4.7 million in dengue awareness and denied that there was or currently is an outbreak.

**Shiloh** · December 18, 2008, 11:48 AM

Re: Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index...s?id=161414658

Admit dengue outbreak'
...Caroni residents protest latest death
Rohandra John rohjohn@trinidadexpress.com

Thursday, December 18th 2008

RESIDENTS of Frederick Settlement in Caroni want the Health Ministry to admit that there is a dengue outbreak in the country, and vow that they are willing to do whatever it takes to make their case.

They erected several banners at the entrance to their community, off the Southern Main Road, to highlight the latest dengue fatality, Camille Ramcharan, a promising 22-year-old engineering student who died last week.

Her father, Freddy Ramcharan, says his family would spend the Christmas holidays mourning the death of his daughter, who died after losing the battle with dengue haemorrhagic fever. But that loss is not all he has to bear, as his wife, Shakera Mohammed, is now in hospital also stricken with the illness.

Now, Ramcharan and other residents say they are prepared to go to whatever lengths in order to get the authorities to tackle what they describe as a "deadly dengue outbreak" in their community.

The residents also charged that Health Minister Jerry Narace should not keep denying that there was a dengue outbreak in the country when, in reality, scores of persons in the community and neighbouring areas, and others around the country, were being admitted to hospitals for treatment of the disease almost on a daily basis.

The residents also cast blame on the authorities for the situation, saying that they have failed to clean the drains in and around their communities for several years now and, as a result, they have now become the breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Residents said most of the drains in the area were filled with silt and stagnant water due to years of neglect, and claimed the Insect Vector Control Unit of the Ministry of Health has not responded to their requests to spray the area.

Following the death of the UWI student, the residents say they have decided that "enough is enough", and were now determined to get the authorities to do something about the situation. One banner at the entrance leading into Frederick Settlement stated: "Help, dengue killing meh family". Another read: "Who's next in line for dengue?".

Ramcharan said his wife had also tested positive for dengue and is now warded at the Mt Hope Hospital where she is being treated. "I am hoping she pulls through. She was in hospital when my daughter took in, so I had both of them in the hospital at one time."

He also said that there were more that 50 persons in the village who have tested positive for dengue for the year.

Ramcharan said his daughter, who up to the time of death was a student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine campus, had initially been misdiagnosed by doctors at a private health institution. He described his daughter as a vibrant, promising, young woman who had a bright future ahead of her.

"Right now, our hearts mash up like cabbage because of what happened with her. We want the authorities to deal with this situation," he said.

Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences at UWI St Augustine, John Agard, said recently there was an increase in dengue fever throughout the region because of climate change.

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Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

Trinidad: Dengue outbreak

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