By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterA TEAM from the United States-based Centres for Disease Control (CDC) is in Jamaica to help the Ministry of Health investigate reasons behind a gastro-enteritis outbreak, which has so far killed nine children.
Dr. Deanna Ashley, head of the Ministry's Health Promotion and Protection Division, said yesterday that the three-member team arrived in the island last Tuesday.
Officials at the CDC's reference laboratory for gastro-enteritis and the rotavirus, which causes the illness, are also testing stool and other samples from affected children.
RESULTS TODAY OR TOMORROW
They are expected to present results to local health officials between today and Wednesday.
"The first set of samples were sent on Thursday. We expect to get some feedback either Tuesday or Wednesday," Dr. Ashley told The Gleaner. In the more than two weeks since the outbreak, the Ministry has collected more than 50 stool and blood samples from children.
Between 15 or 20 specimens were sent to the CDC's laboratory in Atlanta, she said. Others were tested locally on the weekend.
This bout of gastro-enteritis, otherwise called 'running belly', has especially affected children in Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Thomas.
Health officials are concerned because an increase in rotavirus-related gastro cases is unusual in the summer. Gastro cases in the summer are usually caused by bacteria. Deaths from the ailment are rare.
The rotavirus strikes in the cooler months and symptoms of an infection include fever, nausea, vomiting, and watery diarrhoea. The rotavirus germ is usually present in faeces and droplets and can be transmitted through food or person-to-person contact.
Dr. Ashley added that the Ministry will also be doing special studies, reviewing case histories and interviewing families.
She was concerned that public retention of warnings against using anti-diarrhoea and anti-emetic substances, such as Gravol, when children have gastro appeared to "have fizzled".
"(With the studies) we want to understand the history and what happened. We have to contribute to the longer-term issues of understanding what is taking place, understanding the pattern and designing more long-term interventions."
In the meantime though, there is only one answer, she said.
"If your child is having diarrhoea, you have to get the child to drink. Anti-diarrhoeals do not work and should not be given to young children. Breast milk, water, coconut water... you have got to keep drinking. My concern is that I don't want to see another baby die," she said.
She again beseeched caregivers to look for warning signs of dehydration, among them thirst, lack of tears, sunken eyes, dry tongue, not passing any urine, the skin standing up when pinched and if the child is listless and drowsy.
"You don't sit and watch. You keep giving them fluids to drink or you go to the hospital or nearest health centre, clinic or doctor," Dr. Ashley said.
