Trinidad: Penal residents urge govt to take action amid surge in dengue cases

Trinidad and Tobago: The residents in Trinidad are making an urgent call to the Ministry of Health to deploy litter wardens and put stricter measures in place to curb ongoing dumping. This comes after there have been reports of a surge in dengue cases near Penal region.

Recently, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh disclosed that there are 303 confirmed cases of dengue and two confirmed cases from the laboratory, making the residents worried about the rising statistics.

It is reported that more than 50 residents from different areas, including Old Seebalack Trace, Seebalack Trace, Rochard Road, Moolchand Trace, Rampersad Trace, and Ramsingh Trace, have been infected by this virus over the last four weeks.

According to one of the residents, one man is now in the ICU at the San Fernando General Hospital, while a woman went into premature labor after contracting dengue. Also, several young children have been seriously ill and are receiving treatment.

One of the dengue victims, Seunarine Balchan, noted that he had dengue a week before Father’s Day and spent more than $10,000 in private hospitals to get treatment. He added that his platelets were consistently dropping low, and when they went to nine, he went to Pointe Fortin Hospital, but they sent him back to San Fernando because there was no blood in Point Fortin.

The man added that he spent four days in San Fernando, but he still does not feel well entirely and is trying to recover from this virus.

In addition to this, he complained that the government had undertaken only one round of spraying around his area, which was not enough to kill the dengue-spreading mosquitoes.

He continued to say that more than 15 people in his area at Old Seebalack Trace contracted the dengue virus and mentioned that his nephew is also hospitalized at present.

He encouraged that spraying must be done in order to curb this ever-increasing virus from the Penal region in Trinidad.