…two discharged from hospital

AS the health authorities continue to treat several manganese miners from a Matthews Ridge, North West District operation, one of the men who was diagnosed with leptospirosis passed away Wednesday night.

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) confirmed on Thursday that a Chinese national who was employed by the Guyana Manganese Inc (GWI), died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Wednesday night while being treated for leptospirosis. One of the man’s colleagues died last weekend at Matthews Ridge while undergoing treatment.
“We are saddened at the passing of another worker”, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud said.

Another mining employee, who was also tested positive for leptospirosis, is in “critical but stable condition” an Internal Medicine specialist at the tertiary institution confirmed Thursday. Two weeks ago, while cleaning bat droppings from one of four tunnels at the mining site called “Rail Ends”, nine workers – eight Chinese nationals and one Guyanese– started experiencing pain, fever, headache and respiratory distress. To date, close to 20 employees of the company, most of them Chinese labourers, have been treated after being infected with an infectious disease.

The MoPH disclosed on Thursday that the GPHC successfully treated and discharged two Chinese nationals who were among several taken there.

According to the ministry, the CMO reiterated that “all precautionary measures are still in place at the Matthews Ridge tunnel site and immediate surroundings and essential medical supplies are in stock to treat employees of the mining firm and residents of the area.”

He added that”since last week’s outbreak, the area has been deemed a ‘Red Zone’ by Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) authorities and “no one is allowed to enter the site.” On Thursday, residents of Matthew’s Ridge told this newspaper that another group of miners were taken to the Pakera District Hospital for treatment. However, according to the ministry, Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Vishal Ramjas said Thursday that another GMI employee was admitted at the Pakera Hospital and is undergoing treatment for “a respiratory tract infection”. The patient is also in a stable condition, Dr Ramjas said.

Persons close to the company told this publication that four Guyanese miners were sent home by the manganese company after they complained of experiencing similar symptoms as their colleagues.

This publication was also informed that no one from the manganese company showed up at the GPHC to witness an autopsy, which was expected to be performed on the first miner who died last weekend. The pathologist waited at the facility for more than three hours and the exercise was subsequently called off.

Company official, Major General (retired) Norman McLean told the Guyana Chronicle that he could not pronounce on the issue. He said officials of BOSAI, the company associated with GWI, would be able to speak on such matters. The Guyana Chronicle understands that there are approximately 100 Chinese nationals and 113 Guyanese nationals on the mining concession.

Last Saturday, several Chinese nationals were air-dashed to Georgetown from the Pakera District Hospital after falling ill. Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday that cognisant of its responsibility to provide healthcare services to the people of Matthews Ridge and neighbouring communities in a safe environment, the Health Ministry took a decision to fully sanitise the Pakera District Hospital. It was closed temporarily but was reopened on Tuesday. Another team of medical personnel, however, will be working out of a community centre in the area to screen the employees of Guyana Manganese Inc., – a subsidiary of Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Incorporated as a precautionary measure, the Health Minister further detailed.