Tests done for H1N1 by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) on swabs taken from a Point Fortin security officer have come back positive.
San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) medical director Dr Anand Chatoorgoon said yesterday the tests confirmed their suspicion that the patient, who has been warded at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for the past two weeks, had indeed contracted the disease.
Relatives of the patient told the T&T Guardian yesterday the officer was still not out of danger as he remained hooked up to life support at the ICU. Medical professionals have advised them that the patient’s heart, lungs and kidneys were now severely affected by the virus.
All personnel entering the ICU are being asked to wear protective clothing but the relatives said they were now very concerned about their own safety since they made visits prior to the confirmation without the necessary gowns and masks. “We have been taking our own precautions to prevent the spread of the virus by getting vaccinated,” one relative said.
On October 16, the virus, also known as swine flu, claimed the life of Siparia resident Cherrie Ryce. Doctors at the SFGH are still awaiting test results to confirm whether the disease also caused the November 2 death of Shannon Nashaud, 16. Autopsy results showed that Nashaud, of Couva, died from pneumonia, one of the symptoms of the H1N1.
Chatoorgoon also confirmed yesterday the Point Fortin officer was the only H1N1 patient at the hospital at the moment. “We are supporting him maximally. We are doing everything we can possibly do for him but we haven’t changed treatment because we would have been treating him for the swine flu for a while,” he added.
Concerning risks to family members, Chatoorgoon said once they took the necessary precautions by donning masks and gowns on their visits there should be no risk.
On whether other patients in the ICU could be infected, Chatoorgoon explained that while they did not have any isolation units in the department they have tried to screen the H1N1 patient so there would be no obvious risks. He added that the risks were really from nurse to nurse.
“Nurses are the important people but once the nurses take the normal infection prevention control measures it should be okay,” he explained.
Chatoorgoon also responded to reports that some frontline medical staff workers, including those dealing with blood testing, have not been vaccinated against the virus and have been advised to seek the immunization privately. The MD said vaccinations were available for whoever wanted it.
“Not everybody wants it. I did not take it,” he said.
A release from CARPHA on October 23 stated that for the year to date it had received 284 samples for influenza-virus testing. Forty-seven of these tested positive and 14 of them were typed as Influenza A H1N1.