Trinidad Ministry Of Education Still Probing Death Of Student

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, March 20, 2019 (CMC) – The Trinidad and Tobago government says it has “ensured an intense and thorough sanitation exercise” had been conducted at a primary school, where a female student died, reportedly of meningitis, over the weekend.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education said, while the father of the student of the Fifth Company Baptist Primary School had been informed that the child had died at the San Fernando General Hospital, south of here, after being hospitalised, “the cause of death will only be determined, after the autopsy”.

The president of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) Lynsley Doodhai, speaking on a radio program, here, had called for the school building to be properly sanitised.

“It is common knowledge that the disease can be spread, from one person to another, through contact. I understand the child was at school, up to Monday last week, so there is a concern for those persons, whom the child may have come into contact,” Doodhai said.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes, surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The swelling from meningitis typically triggers symptoms such as headache, fever and a stiff neck.

Most cases of meningitis are caused by a viral infection, but bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections are other causes. Some cases of meningitis improve without treatment in a few weeks. Others can be life-threatening and require emergency antibiotic treatment.

Doodhai said that the union had also been “reliably informed” that the medical personnel, who were treating the student, had also been given antibiotics.

In the statement, the Ministry of Education said that following the report, made to the school by the parent, the principal “took immediate action to dismiss classes…and implement all necessary safety protocols”.

It said a team of medical professionals visited the school, on Monday, and “has described their investigations, so far, as a working diagnosis, and has not pronounced on the origin of the suspected disease”.

The Ministry of Education said that the team was to return to the school, on Tuesday, to conduct a screening exercise for students.

“A meeting will also be held with parents to update them about further interventions to be taken at the school,” the statement added.