–several hospitalised at GPHC

A VIRAL ailment is said to be the cause of death of a Chinese man who died on Saturday at Pekera Hospital at Matthew’s Ridge.

Eight other Chinese nationals who are infected with the disease were air-dashed to the city for medical treatment on Saturday. The men became ill while cleaning a manganese tunnel at the North West District community last week. They first reported their conditions to the hospital in the community on Monday last.

A medical staff at the hospital told the Guyana Chronicle on Saturday that the man died around 09:00hrs that day and health officials are trying to determine the full nature of the illness.

The Department of Public Information subsequently posted a notice on social media that the ailment was not related to H1N1 (Swine Flu) as was published earlier on Saturday by another media entity.

Reports are that the men were taken to the area from the town of Linden to work as labourers at the Manganese mines by BOSAI Minerals. They were working at one of four tunnels at the mining site called “Rail Ends.” The tunnels have been in existence since the 1970s when manganese was first mined at Matthew’s Ridge.

Reports are that the men were exposed to mosquitoes while cleaning bat droppings from the tunnel. Hospital staff began treating the men on Monday after the men complained of severe fever while their skins developed rashes. Other symptoms included shortness of breath, high body temperatures and being in a delirious state.

The men’s condition worsened over the course of the week and over the weekend, a medical team from Georgetown and another from Mabaruma were dispatched to the area. While being treated, one of the men passed away and the others were medevacked to the city around midday. They were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where they are being treated in a quarantined area.