The Ministry of Health yesterday confirmed that Anastasia “Stacy” Ramkissoon died of the H1N1 virus.
Anastasia, 28, died at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, on Saturday night after being confirmed as having the H1N1 virus. That was more than two weeks after being admitted to the hospital for pains related to her pregnancy. Her baby died a day after she gave birth.
Her father, Kelvin Ramkissoon, said yesterday her death was “sadly similar” to her mother’s death almost 20 years ago. The post-mortem examination determined her cause of death to be viral-associated pneumonia.
This is the fourth death attributed to the H1N1 influenza virus for the year to date. Twenty-five other cases were treated and the patients discharged. The Health Ministry is once again urging the public to receive a vaccination to protect themselves from the virus.
The treatment can be had at health centres acrosss the country. T&T Guardian spoke to Ramkissoon yesterday after his daughter’s funeral, which was held in Tunapuna. His daughter was later cremated at the Caroni cremation site.
“This is like her mother’s death all over again. They both went to the hospital for a different reason, and then left in a box,” Ramkissoon said. His wife died at 29, and his daughter’s 29th birthday would have been next month; both spent 19 days in the hospital, he said.
Ramkissoon said that Anastasia even thought she was going to die since she was giving him instructions for her funeral. “She knew what was going to happen. She was telling us to put everything in place.”
Ramkissoon said since his daughter’s death, their entire family has taken the H1N1 vaccine. He and some other relatives got the vaccine free at the Macoya Health Centre, while some other relatives went to a private doctor and paid $300 for the shot.
At risk group
A release from the ministry said the “vaccination is a safe and effective way to prevent influenza or reduce its severity in people at high risk of complications.”
The groups urged to get the vaccine include healthcare workers, children aged six months to five years, pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy, people who are 65 years and older, and people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, heart, lung and kidney disease.
As well, the ministry urged the public to practice good personal hygiene to prevent the spread of respiratory viral infections.
Simple measures such as covering the mouth when coughing and sneezing, disposing of used tissue paper, and frequent hand washing are effective in limiting the transmission of influenza and other viral illnesses, the release said.
T&T Guardian understands that there is another patient, a woman, being treated for H1N1 at Mt Hope. However, officials from the North Central Regional Health Authority said they have not received any confirmation on another case of swine flu.
Kumar Boodram, CEO of the NCRHA, said that lab tests on the patients would have had to be completed before notice of another swine flu case was given. At the moment, he does not know of another case.