Re: PNG: Mystery illness kills 15 on Manam Island
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20100628/mohome.htm
Manam islanders flee village after 15 die from suspected cholera
By ROSALYN EVARA
PAPUA New Guineans have been sternly urged to forego all burial rituals when handling bodies of relatives who have succumbed to cholera.
The warning is from Bogia?s program manager health Camillus Dugumi following the deaths of 15 people, some of whom are understood to have died while mourning over their loved ones who had died from this fast-acting sickness.
Mr Dugumi when contacted yesterday by the Post-Courier could not state how many of the
deaths had been as a result of direct contact with the dead but said the deaths had been recorded over a 10-day period ending yesterday.
He said those who had died were all from Dugulava village on Manam Island and that two of them were children.
Reports received by the Post-Courier were that the deaths were not related to cholera as some of those who died did not present the usual clinical symptoms of cholera including acute severe watery diarrhoea.
Rather, they had complained of feeling cold from the soles of the feet, and the sensation working its way up the legs and to the rest of their body - including the stomach. They also complained of feeling intense hunger and the coldness eventually getting to them before collapsing and dying.
However, Mr Dugumi said an outbreak of this disease had recently been reported on the island, especially in the affected village, where many had just been repatriated following the Tobenam incident on the north coast of Madang, where many Manams fleeing volcanic eruptions were living.
He said health officers had been to the island earlier in the year and had conducted awareness programs and also sprayed the affected villages, but this did not include Dugulava.
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When dealing with people who have died from cholera there is a rule of disposing of bodies. That is that the corpses are sprayed and taken straight to the graves.
?There is to be no mourning over them. The people there have been mourning over their loved ones, resulting in these deaths.
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I would like to reiterate in light of these deaths that the general public abstains from their normal burial rituals and more importantly wash their hands, especially when shaking hands with others,? he said.
In light of these reports, Mr Dugumi has also called on authorities to move quickly to providing the funds in the province for health officials to carry out their jobs and also to purchase water tanks for the people of Dugulava village.
?These people were forced to move back and without any good water supply.
?To control the spread of this sickness they will need access to clean water and on top of that, we in the district will need medical supplies including IV fluids and antibiotics to treat the infected.
?We have run out and are in dire need,? he said.
Paul Mamburau, a village councillor from Dugulava, when contacted yesterday also confirmed reports of the deaths.
He said the latest death had been recorded yesterday morning.
He said because of the conflicting reports villagers were receiving on the cause of the deaths, many were now scared and wee fleeing the island. ?Some are here at Bogia station while the others are at Potsdam Care Centre. While I have already informed the district administrator and even asked for money to help feed them, I have been told there is nothing.
?I don?t know what will become of them while they are here on the mainland,? he said. Mr Mamburau also confirmed that since the outbreak had been reported on the island, they had not received any help.
?With the health service virtually non-existent on the island, this has only worsened the situation for us,? he said.
The Post-Courier understands that former Health Minister Sir Peter Barter flew to Manam and to Bogia station yesterday afternoon after receiving these reports.
This paper was not able to reach him for comments. It is understood that the head of operations of the Madang provincial cholera taskforce had gone with Sir Peter.
He too could not be reached for comments.
