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Monday, January 9, 2006
The feared and deadly leptospirosis emerged as a threat again in the wake of severe flooding in some parts of Guyana. Residents were advised to take every precaution.
Twenty-one persons are believed to have died from the disease early last year following one of the worst floods to ever hit the South American nation.
So far, health surveillance has placed twelve persons in a high-index-of-suspicion bracket for leptospirosis.
Minister Ramsammy confirmed there was one suspicious death but tests are yet to done to determine whether it was leptospirosis related.
Two weeks of heavy rain in Guyana destroyed large fields of food crops, residential homes and threatened farmland and rice production.
The heavy rain caused blocked drainage canals to overflow and cover the vast farming areas.
Hundreds of small cash crop farms were destroyed while scores of livestock farmers fought to move their cows and other animals to higher ground.
Angry residents in one of the affected areas blocked roads and burnt tyres after Government ministers visited their communities to assess the situation.
The residents claimed the Government was oblivious to their suffering, while the Government says local officials failed to inform them of the enormity of the situation.
President Bharrat Jagdeo, along with several ministers and technical officers, met for several hours to discuss the steps needed to alleviate the situation.
He later announced 4 million U.S dollars worth of equipment will arrive in the country next month to be used to build dams around cultivation areas and high lands for cattle.
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