Thanks to Sean Smith for sending the link to this report in Kaieteur News: Manganese mine incident…‘Mystery’ illness identified as Histoplasmosis- Infection caused by Fungus found in droppings of birds, bats and rats in humid areas. Excerpt:
The mystery illness which was erroneously assumed to be H1N1 (Swine Flu) and as leptospirosis in two cases, affecting employees working in the Guyana Manganese Inc. tunnel in Matthew’s Ridge, Region One, Barima-Waini, has finally been determined to be Histoplasmosis, an infection by a fungus found in the droppings of birds, bats and rats in humid areas.
This was confirmed when the Ministry of Public Health held a press conference yesterday in its Mental Health Unit Boardroom, to provide an update on the recent outbreak and related issues.
Samples were collected from all patients and initially some testing was done at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL). Further samples were sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency Laboratory (CARPHA) in Trinidad for confirmation.
The results initially were negative for Influenza A and B inclusive of H1N1, Chikungunya, Zika and Dengue. All patients underwent malaria tests in Matthews Ridge and they were also negative.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Shamdeo Persaud provided a detailed update. Relating the developments sequentially, the CMO said that the first four cases were reported on March 28; one died while receiving care at Pakera District Hospital in Region One. The following day, four more were brought in to Pakera District Hospital complaining of similar symptoms (fever, headaches, joint pains, mild shortness of breath). Subsequently, the seven Chinese workers were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
An additional six employees, including one Guyanese, were attended to at the Port Kaituma Hospital, but later transferred to the GPHC. One of the six persons visited the hospital on his own. He was evaluated but not admitted.
Once the cases were reported, several teams visited the site from the regional level. The teams included the Regional Health Officer and the Regional Environmental Health Officer, along with some supporting medical staff.
“In the initial stage, we weren’t sure what we were dealing with, but since it was a febrile illness with respiratory symptoms, we took all the necessary precaution to restrict access to both the site and the hospital where the patients were being kept.
“The additional staffers that were sent to the region set up a temporary facility at the community centre in Matthews Ridge where they were seeing the regular patients,” the CMO recounted.
“Following the transfer of the patients on April 3, they cleaned up the Pakera District Hospital and closed down the temporary sites. Work resumed as normal at the hospital for Maternal Child Health and other services.
“Two persons are dead; one died at Pakera District Hospital and one at GPHC. Of those admitted at the GPHC, two were discharged. An additional person was discharged from Pakera District Hospital.
“Ten workers were transferred to China on Monday, April 9. Sixteen Chinese workers were under care and treatment. Following the transfer, two more were admitted to Pakera Hospital bringing it to a total of 18.”
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