Suriname: hundreds of local cases of Chikungunya

[Gert van der Hoek]

June 7 2014

Suriname reports first laboratory confirmed case of Chikungunya.

The Central Laboratory of the BOG has today (Friday, June 6, 2014) confirmed the first case of infection with the chikungunya virus in a resident of Paramaribo, recorded in May and have been treated in one of the local hospitals.

It is a 45-year-old male who developed symptoms after returning from abroad (St. Maarten) .

Person has been discharged from the hospital and in the meantime, the control measures aimed at preventing local spread, are carried out.

The Central Laboratory has tested 19 suspect cases, this case was positive.

Because of the journey and the circumstances under which this incident occurred, this case regarded as a case of imported Chikungunya.

The approach of the SNB Ministry of Health remains focused on all suspected cases of this infection to identify as quickly and accurately as possible and to ensure the most effective prevention of local spread.

Dagblad Suriname

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Suriname reports first laboratory confirmed case of Chikungunya. - Imported

17 cases of Chikungunya registered in Suriname

25 June 2014

Suriname currently has 17 cases of Chikungunya, according to the Bureau of Public Health (BOG) on an emergency meeting at the Ministry of Health.

On June 7, the first case was registered and the second a week later. Of the fifteen cases, a new person is included in the hospital. Most ill persons are registered in Paramaribo and in Albina.

The population is ecouraged to clean the breeding places of mosquitoes and to take protective measures. Minister Michel Blokland of Health asked the society especially to clean up bottles, cups, tubs, buckets, junk cars, refrigerators and other debris out carelessly dumped. The dengue mosquitoes breed easily in such places. Chikungunya is caused by the dengue mosquito.

Star News

The first case occurred in Suriname in the first week of June . A man fell ill after vacation in St. Maarten with severe pain and blood tests have shown Chikungunya. A week later, a woman who had been previously visited in Guyana, reported the same symptoms.

"Of the fifteen new cases are two family of the man in whom the disease was first discovered. They still fall under the "imported disease 'category. Thirteen others have contracted the disease locally. "

Star News

worldatlas

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Suriname confirmed local cases of Chikungunya

Number of chikungunya cases jumps to 59

AUGUST 13, 2014 TIMES OF SURINAME REDACTIE

SURINAME ? Within two weeks the number of chikungunya cases jumped from 39 to 59. Officials from the Public Health Bureau (BOG) indicate that most cases were reported in the districts Paramaribo, Commewijne and Wanica. The virus has also spread to other districts because 2 cases have been confirmed in the Para District while 1 case has been confirmed in the Wanica District.

The General Director at the BOG, Lesly Resida, pointed out that reports suggest that all of these cases were initially imported from Guyana before spreading further.The cases occur in the same region which suggest that the virus does not easily spread from one residential area to another. As soon as a few cases have been confirmed a team from the BOG heads to the area in question to spray malation?

Times of Suriname

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Suriname confirmed hundreds of local cases of Chikungunya

computertranslation

Suriname in 'free fall' with Chikungunya

September 17th, 2014 |

PARAMARIBO, Sep 17 - "We are in a free fall, and I feel the situation is out of control." This said director John Codrington of the laboratory of the Academic Hospital Paramaribo. The approach is not much since the first cases were observed.

That was three months ago when it hit this severe form of dengue. There have since been more than nine hundred suspected cases. "A big part has been positive," said Codrington to the newssource "Ware Tijd". The number of infections is probably much higher. Not everyone with symptoms is reporting. It can thus be safely speak of an epidemic. Alarm should already be beaten.

But it seems no one, certainly not the health authorities and environmental services really are alarmed . The question is whether Suriname really can answer an outbreak , Ebola for example. "Chikungunya is a test case, it should be an exercise for our alertness. But we have nothing under control and I miss the seriousness, "said Codrington.

Waterkant

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Suriname confirmed hundreds of local cases of Chikungunya

Chikungunya in Suriname seen higher than official figures

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 ? BY STABROEK EDITOR ?

( de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO ? The number people infected with the chikungunya virus is far greater than official figures by the Bureau for Public Health (BOG) report. The lab connected to university hospital AZP has tested over 900 cases since the outbreak. John Codrington, head of the AZP lab confirms that most of the cases tested positive. He states that since many people with symptoms refuse to be examined by a doctor, the number of infected cases should likely be five to six times higher. The situation in the districts is increasingly alarming.

Codrington says efforts to fight the disease are poor; the several institutions, including the media, health and environment officials are not functioning well. He argues that the authorities are just groping around and that the best strategy right now would be damage control. Codrington fears that if this is the best we can do Suriname might be facing a catastrophe if the Ebola virus, which is wreaking havoc in Africa, finds its way to Suriname.

BOG figures indicate that so far fewer than 150 people have caught the disease which first emerged in the Caribbean a year ago and in April in Suriname. Of the 913 suspected cases tested by the AZP lab between 7 July and 14 September, 299 tested positive.

The AZP official warns the epidemic has not reached its peak yet.

Codrington suggests the authorities step up information campaigns. He fears the growing number of victims will have an enormous effect on the economy as sick people are increasingly withdrawn from the labor process. The official proposes a coordination team for coherent efforts to fight the disease. Lower legislative organs like district and resort councils should also assists in the efforts because they have closer contacts with the people.

Stabroek News