Another suspected leptospirosis patient dies

Jan 12, 2009 News

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– two more admitted to the GPHC

One of the nine suspected leptospirosis patients at the Georgetown Hospital has succumbed. The victim is 55- year-old Juliet Kissoon, of Ketley Street, Charlestown.
Kissoon’s brother, Vincent Kissoon, said that his sister was admitted to the hospital on Friday.
Vincent Kissoon told Kaieteur News that his sister was experiencing vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, and pains about her body.

He said that his sister had exhibited the same symptoms during the 2005 floods, but had received medical treatment quickly.
The woman leaves to mourn nine other siblings. The family is awaiting the results of the post mortem examination.
Meanwhile, another suspected leptospirosis patient, Sarwan Khemchand, has taken a turn for the worst.
His condition was listed yesterday as critical. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on Friday night with complaints of vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and pains about the body. These symptoms are predominantly related to leptospirosis.
Hospital sources confirmed that Khemchand’s condition has worsened.
Meanwhile, nine-year-old Anola Stephens, another leptospirosis patient, continues to be hospitalized at the institution.
Her grandmother, Jocelyn Bobb, said that her granddaughter was rushed to the Woodlands Hospital after she “vomited at school on Friday.” Bobb said that Anola’s teacher immediately contacted the family, and Stephens was rushed to the Woodlands Hospital. After doing a number of blood tests, doctors at that institution confirmed that the child was indeed suffering from “leptospirosis”. She was later transferred to the Georgetown Hospital, where doctors are observing her condition and conducting further tests, the results of which are to be revealed.

When asked by Kaieteur News if the child was ever in contact with “flood waters,” her grandmother said that the yard of their Bachelor’s Adventure home was flooded. She noted that all the children in the household are kept away from the water.
Visibly weak, Bobb told this newspaper that she was still feeling a little ill, but the vomiting and diarrhoea have stopped.
Zalima Baksh the fifteen-year-old from Hogg Street, Albouystown, has since been released from the hospital. But parents, Mark Huston and Roopdai Baksh, are of the opinion that the doctors should have kept their daughter longer at the institution, since she was showing signs of having contracted the disease. The woman said that the doctors gave them “two bottles of saline and some tablets, which they instructed her to drink after she ate.” Her mother said that her daughter had complained of feeling unwell, and was also experiencing vomiting, fever and pains about her body. She was rushed to the hospital.
According to her father, the doctors did various blood tests, but told them nothing.
He claimed that he repeatedly asked the doctors at the Georgetown Hospital what they were treating his daughter for, but his questions were ignored.
According to hospital sources, two more suspected cases were admitted to the hospital yesterday.
One of the latest suspected victims is Agnes Dundas, 42, of Kuru Kuru, Linden Highway.
Dundas related that her village has been under flood waters for almost a month now. She noted that her neighbours have “farm animals”.
Leptospirosis is caused by a spirochaete bacterium called leptospira, and is transmitted by the urine of an infected animal.  Although rats, mice and wolves are important primary hosts, other animals, like cows, sheep and other farm animals, and certain marine mammals, are able to carry and transmit the disease as secondary hosts.
Dundas recalled that she started to vomit and run a high fever, and soon after began having abdominal pains. The woman said that she travelled to the city and was admitted to the hospital. She said that she was told that she is being treating for “leptospirosis”.
Within the last three days, 11suspected leptospirosis patients have been admitted to the Georgetown Hospital.
These are 15-year-old Zalima Baksh, of 15 Hogg Street, Albouystown;  Anola Stephens, 9, of 319 Bachelor’s Adventure; Sarwan Khemchand, 47, of Cherry Field, La Bonne Intention; George McDonald, 47, of 21 Houston, East Bank Demerara;  Ryan Ramkipan, 37, of 18 Grove, East Bank Demerara; Royden Jackson, 17, of Supply, Mahaica; Onica Robertson, 24, of 34 Annandale, East Coast Demerara; and Bhiafan Blakaram, 45, of Ogle Railway Line.
Sources told Kaieteur News that there are many other persons who are suffering from the disease, but both hospital and ministry officials are trying to keep it “under wraps”.
This move, according to the source, is being carried out in an effort not to get persons alarmed, which would in turn lead to “panic”.
Residents are urged to follow all necessary precautions, and avoid flood waters as much as possible.
They are also urged to seek medical attention for any “flu-like symptoms” which they may experience.

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