13 suspected cases of H1N1 virus detected locally – Health Minister

Jun 17, 2009 News

By Sharmain Cornette

“The only way to stop the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) from reaching Guyana is to close all borders. Nobody leaves, nobody comes,” said Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy yesterday. However, that is not practical or possible, he added.
Closing the borders, according to the Minister, is in fact not a realistic option, as many Guyanese are known to travel regularly to some of the countries where the virus has been detected. Some of the affected countries are also crucial to the sustenance of the local business sector, the Minister noted.
The Minister was at the time giving media operatives an update on the local efforts that have been engaged to deal with the global pandemic.
According to him, his Ministry has monitored 13 suspected cases of which four were eliminated since there were not characteristic of the virus.
And while he is optimistic that the remaining nine will not be tested positive for the virus, the Minister disclosed that specimens were taken from them to maintain the public’s confidence in the local health sector.
And so far none of the tested specimens have been classified as the H1N1 virus, he added.
But according to the Minister, efforts by his Ministry to create a level of sensitivity among the population, as it relates to the virus, have led to some challenges.
“One of the problems we have is how to deal with this situation because every time someone has a flu and also has a visitor from United States, Canada, United Kingdom or Trinidad, they believe that it is H1N1 virus, and that causes all of us to run helter skelter.”
The Minister alluded to a situation, which occurred in Essequibo during the past weekend, which evoked the response of both the Pan American Health Organisation and the Ministry of Health.
Two cases, the Minister said, were monitored as a result but neither was characteristic of the virus.
But as concerns about the virus continue to escalate locally, the Minister is adamant that the Ministry of Health is taking all necessary precautions to deal with the pandemic should it be detected here.
He warned, though, that there is no way that the Ministry could ultimately keep the virus away.
“The Ministry has put mechanisms in place so that when the first case occurs we will find out right away otherwise, we will have indigenous transmission.”
The Minister has registered his concerns about indigenous transmission, pointing out that cases such as those detected in Suriname and Trinidad could have been as a result of indigenous transmission.
Dr Ramsammy noted, that the challenge for the local health sector is to find the first case fast enough so as to be able to isolate it.
“We have medication in place and we have testing reagent in place so that we can do tests rapidly. There is also the quick test to give a quick idea of the case and we have conformity test in place.”
In essence, the Minister assured that the Ministry is doing everything that is humanly possible when it comes to addressing the threat of the H1N1 virus.

Latest News

13 suspected cases of H1N1 virus detected locally – Health Minister

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Khalil, Pollard and Barker reign supreme as BCQS Int’l Masters...

Cricket West Indies passes historic governance...

Archery Guyana hosts thrilling 2024 National...

Prashad claims victory at the recently concluded...

West Indies & Sri Lanka top their respective...

Allicock, Amsterdam named in GBA training squad...

Features/Columnists

Are we better off today than we were before first oil?

OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus

Jagdeo on contract awards

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

13 suspected cases of H1N1 virus detected locally – Health Minister

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]