The Editor
The Anguillian Newspaper
Dear Sir:
We need some help from someone!
The mosquito borne disease known as Chikunguny is in Anguilla! Persons in the George Hill and North Hill areas are suffering badly. To date, the sickness is proceeding just as predicted – terrible aches and pains all over, then slight fever, then rash, then swollen ankles, then more pains in upper shoulders, then a stiff neck (walking around like a zombie) then more shoulder pains, then neck pains shooting up into the face. Going right along – just as you think you are on the mend, (about the 3rd week into illness) the shoulder pains headache and swollen feet are back once more! All the while you experience an alarming lack of energy and almost complete inertia. You are suffering lost wages and lost productivity. Your employer must suffer difficulties to replace you at work. The economy of the island suffers. How long can this go on?
What, if anything, is our Environmental Department doing to help prevent further spread of this preventable disease? At what time during the sickness are you no longer a carrier? It seems younger persons can expect 1 ½ months of illness, while older or chronically ill persons could easily die off (if the disease doesn’t kill you the pains certainly will do the job).
There does not seem to any real help available to us, except perhaps an extra ‘fogging’ to try to eradicate all mosquitoes. Again, what is the role of the Department of Health and/or the Environmental Department in this situation?
Thank you
A 3- weeks sufferer
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
