The health situation in Region One (Barima/Waini) is under control and health teams are handling the region’s problems which include diarrhoea, vomiting and malaria.

This is according to Regional Chairman Mr. Fermin Singh who added that the reports citing a ‘mysterious illness’ causing deaths in the area are irresponsible.

The chairman said that the cases that have ended up as fatalities were as a result of diarrhoeal diseases that persons did not take in hand in time.

The last fatality he explained was last Thursday and it was only one case not three, as a Stabroek News report said on August 18.

“The one death was in the Moruka sub region,” Singh pointed out.

He further noted the situation is being irresponsibly labelled as a ‘mysterious illness’ and explained that something mysterious is something that cannot be sourced, which is not the case in the region.

I am sure that the media persons can find another word than mysterious because it is causing people to get scared over something that can be taken care of simply,” Singh said.

He reiterated that health teams were out in the three sub regions; Moruka, Mabaruma and Matthew Ridge/ Kaituma.

According to health advisories, diarrhoeal diseases are spread by contaminated hands or ingestion of food or drinks with contaminants and, occasionally, by aerosol.

The recommended preventatives include:

* Observing good personal hygiene, like washing hands frequently, especially before eating or preparing food and after defecation; and

* Observing good food hygiene, through avoiding consumption of raw food, specially for high risk persons like the elderly, children and pregnant women.

As for the incidents of malaria, the Regional Chairman stated that there were 20 cases of malaria in the Mabaruma sub region which have been handled by health workers.