Jamaica: Mystery respiratory illness hits JDF recruits - influenza currently ruled out

[Emily]

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Mystery-illness-hits-JDF-recruits_84333

Mystery illness hits JDF recruits

BY KIMONE FRANCIS Observer staff reporter francisk@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, December 21, 2016 THE Ministry of Health was yesterday still trying to identify the respiratory infection that 80 Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) recruits contracted and which has left six admitted to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), one of whom is said to be in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
?[There] is still no organism as yet, but we know it?s not the H1N1. We know it?s not an influenza virus but there are other things that cause the same symptoms, so we?re waiting to complete those studies,? Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at the ministry Dr Winston De La Haye told the Jamaica Observer yesterday...

[tetano]

PAHO to help assess mystery illness among JDF recruits

While 29 soldiers have been returned to commence training at the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) facilities, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) was called in yesterday to assess what exactly caused 80 soldiers to fall ill from a respiratory infection.
Dr Winston De La Haye, chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health, told The Gleaner yesterday that samples were still being taken at various laboratories to determine the specific reason for the development at the camp.
Up to press time, one of the recruits was in intensive care.
De La Haye said it was believed that the recruits contracted the bacterial infection while at JDF training facilities in Newcastle and/or Twickenham Park between last month and this month.
"We work closely with PAHO, and it is something that we do routinely, especially when we have all of 80 persons who have fallen ill in the last couple days," he told The Gleaner.
"H1N1 (influenza virus) has been ruled out, and so we are doing the necessary checks and collaborating with our international partners to determine what exactly is the cause."

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20161221/paho-help-assess-mystery-illness-among-jdf-recruits

[tetano]

Illness that hit soldiers still not identified

Medical authorities have not yet been able to identify the specific respiratory infection that struck 83 Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldiers at the army?s New Castle training base in St Andrew.
So far the dreaded Influenza A (H1N1/swine flu) virus has been ruled out, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr Winston de la Haye. He told the Jamaica Observer yesterday that none of the tests for other viral infections have uncovered any definitive results.
?So far we haven?t got a definitive indication of anything specific, and it is with that in mind that we have included PAHO (Pan American Health Organization). They are ready to assist in widening the net of possible pathogens (even those that we don?t have the capacity to test for) sending samples to CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States) or CARPHA (Caribbean Publich Health Agency) in Trinidad to do further testing. The aim is to identify the organism and zero in effectively in terms of treatment,? he explained.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Illness-that-hit-soldiers-still-not-identified_84432

[Emily]

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/n...ness-affecting

Health Ministry investigating whether rodents caused mystery illness affecting soldiers


Published:Wednesday | December 28, 2016 | 9:06 AM
The Health Ministry has ruled out influenza as the cause of the illness affecting Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) recruits and is now investigating rodents as the possible source of the infection...