An emergency medical team including two members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Medical Corps and nine medical personnel from the Ministry of Health was dispatched yesterday morning to Waramadong, Region Seven after a reported malaria outbreak.
The Government Information Agency said that on arrival the team carried out mass smears to determine how many are infected with the mosquito-borne disease.
Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran told GINA that the team will be remaining in the community to conduct further assessments.
The Ministry of Health was alerted on Wednesday evening of the outbreak, in which 18 students at the Government School dormitory at Waramadong had tested positive. The tests were done by members of the Regional Vector Control Unit.
GINA said that the Ministry promptly mobilised a team and sought the assistance of the GDF which made its Skyvan available to transport the members of the team and their equipment to the Kamarang Landing. From that point they travelled by boat for one-and-a- half hours up river to Waramadong.
GINA said the team also sprayed the community and advised residents on how they can protect themselves. They also distributed flyers on the disease.
