By Erica James-King, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
TWENTY RESIDENTS of the informal settlement at 135 Darling Street in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, are now being closely monitored by the health authorities after three people from the community came down with typhoid fever.
But while the authorities step up their surveillance in an effort to contain the virus, residents are complaining that the over five years of promises of sewage facilities and house-to-house piped water in the area have not borne fruit.
"I get water from a private source right now and several times I have gone to the NWC (National Water Commission), to request that they provide us with water but they have refused," said Maxine Campbell, who has lived in the area for the last 12 years.
DRUMS AND TANKS
Checks by The Gleaner showed that most of the persons in the community, popularly known as Shoulin Grotto, have mostly drums and tanks for storing water. Many are without toilet facilities.
Those being monitored, have been tested by health care workers. "We have taken stool samples for testing from these persons and are investigating and monitoring their daily activities," said Dr. Janice Alexander, Chief Epidemiologist for the Western Region.
The three confirmed cases of the disease include a one-year-old male child, his 15-year-old mother and a 37-year-old woman who authorities have now identified as the carrier of the disease.
The one-year-old child was the first to be confirmed with typhoid after presenting symptoms of gastroenteritis. Tests proved that the child was not suffering from 'gastro' but typhoid. Both the confirmed and suspected cases are from the same yard in Savanna-la-Mar.
OUTBREAK
Dr. Alexander pointed out that the discovery of the cases in Westmoreland should not be considered an outbreak as the numbers are within normal expectancy. Typhoid is endemic to the Westmoreland area in general and to Savanna-la-Mar in particular. The last major outbreak of typhoid in the parish was in 1991 when there were over 100 cases of infection and at least four deaths.
Dr. Alexander is urging residents to take precautionary measures by practising proper hygiene. "Improper sanitation is more than likely a cause for the disease as the house where it occurred had no toilet although there are several families living in the same yard," Dr. Alexander said. She said the public health inspectorate was working with the families to correct the situation.
Among the symptoms of the illness are a sustained fever as high as 104 degrees-F (or 40-C), headache, loss of appetite, constipation or diarrhoea.
