Magnetic Media has learned that there are residents who are suffering symptoms of Chikungunya Virus or Dengue Fever who are not going to hospital for the requisite treatment… and we are told of a surge in the last two weeks of new suspected cases of these mosquito borne illnesses in the country.
Most of the country’s health officials, including the Minister, Permanent Secretary, Medical Director, Environmental Health Director and Social Services Director are all out of country at the moment… but the Premier says he has taken on the portfolio of Health and Human Services, which has its hands full in the aftermath of TS Cristobal.
Our news department sent over a list of concerns for the Health Ministry to clarify and update upon, including the fogging schedule, the plan of action for anti-mosquito initiatives for government school students come Monday, questions about more environmentally sound and time saving ways of keeping mosquito infestation under control like using DUNKS; whether there is monitoring of stocks in stores of repellents and the like – some stores have run out, others say the stock is near depleted and with shipments en route to supply the demand – and why the foggers in South Caicos and Grand Turk are not being used to help with Vector control in Providenciales where there is one fogger for the entire island and North and Middle Caicos where there is just one team, and perhaps two foggers trying to snuff out mosquitoes on the country’s two largest and two greenest islands.
We still have no reply up to publication time; and hope to update as soon as Hon Rufus Ewing, Acting Minister of Health issues response. The premier is also Co-Chair of the Emergency Committee established in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Cristobal.
