Chinese manganese miner dead, seven others with ‘flu-like’ symptoms quarantined

Guyana Manganese Incorporated’s General Manager Jason Wong showing a map of the operations at Matthews Ridge, in Region One, to Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman and Minister of Public Affairs Dawn Hastings-Williams on Friday. (DPI photo)

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corpora-tion (GPHC) is currently treating seven Chinese nationals, who were medevacked from Matthews Ridge, in Region One, with flu-like symptoms following the death of another worker who displayed similar indicators early yesterday morning.

The eight men, employees of the Guyana Manganese Inc., a subsidiary of the Bosai Group, were admitted to the Pakera District Hospital in Region One with fever, headaches, joint pain, mild shortness of breath, unstable vital signs and moderate to severe respiratory syndrome.

“I was informed that eight persons took ill at Guyana Manganese mines in Matthews Ridge and taken to Pakera Hospital,” Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley told this newspaper, before adding that he was not aware of any diagnosis or the conditions under which they became ill.