|
Cuban collaborator dies of malaria in
Guinea
Cuba’s Minister of Public Health has reported the
death, due to malaria and cerebral complications, of
one of the country’s collaborators in Guinea
Conakry, a member of the advance task force making
preparations for the medical brigade which recently
traveled to the country to fight the Ebola epidemic.
In an official statement, published on the morning
of October 27, the deceased was identified as 60
year old economist Jorge Juan Guerra Rodríguez, from
the Cuban province of Sancti Spíritus, in the south
central region of the country.
According to the report, the collaborator traveled
to Guinea Conakry as part of the advance task force,
arriving there on October 6.
It further states that, on October 22, Guerra began
suffering from diarrhea, which was diagnosed as a
food related illness, calling for symptomatic
treatment, which was administered by the Cuban
medical brigade.
On October 23, with symptoms persisting, he was
treated at the hospital in Donka, given antibiotics,
as well as hydration and dietary treatment, showing
clinical signs of improvement.
The report states that on the morning of October 24,
he was taken to the Pasteur Clinic, where laboratory
tests were conducted. Failing to present any new
symptoms and the diarrhea subsiding, it was decided
to continue the same treatment, while awaiting the
test results.
The Ministry statement continues, “On the same day
at 8:00pm, local time, signs and symptoms of
worsening began to appear, suggesting malaria, for
which an anti-malaria treatment was begun, and
Guerra was transported to the Pasteur Clinic, where
he was admitted, the diagnosis corroborated, and
treatment continued.
“A team of Cuban intensive care specialists with the
brigade, who treated the patient along with the
institution’s medical personnel, confirmed the
diagnosis and recommended treatment.”
The report states that given his economic role in
the brigade, Guerra had no contact with the Ebola
Treatment Centers, or with patients suffering from
the virus, nonetheless, he was given two Ebola
tests, both of which were negative.
In the early hours of October 26, the statement
explains, his conditioned worsened, resulting in
multiple organ failure and finally his death in the
evening.
Gratitude was expressed to the Guinea Conakry
Ministry of Health and Cooperation, as well as UN
and WHO representatives, who treated and monitored
the collaborator, remaining by his side, together
with the Cuban ambassador and brigade leadership,
until he died.
Jorge Juan Guerra Rodríguez worked for more than 30
years at the Sancti Spíritus Provincial Health
Ministry, served voluntarily on an international
mission in Mali, and willingly joined the group of
collaborators which departed for West Africa.
The
Cuban Ministry of Health statement concludes by
offering sincere condolences to Guerra’s family and
friends.
|
