Health official warns against harbouring illegal Haitians

Eastern Portland:

The chief medical officer for Portland’s health services is urging residents to discontinue harbouring illegal immigrants from Haiti, warning that these individuals, who have been frequently arriving by boat, could be infected with communicable diseases.

Dr Sharon Lewis, who was addressing the monthly sitting of the Portland Municipal Corporation yesterday, made the call against the background of the undetected arrival of three groups of Haitians who landed in Eastern Portland during the latter part of last year.

“Since October 2023, a number of Haitians evaded the police upon their arrival and were in hiding. A few have been found at a time by the police, and were brought in to the health team for processing,” Lewis said.

“It is believed that the last set arrived on the 27th of December, but the specific location of their landing remains uncertain. We are unsure of how many arrived on that day but, since that time, 14 Haitians were found in East Portland communities and have been processed so far by the health team. I again remind our community members in the eastern part of the island, particularly in Portland and St Thomas, that it is important for the health team and the police to be alerted immediately of the arrival of the Haitians,” she added.

According to Lewis, the threat of the reintroduction of malaria and cholera into Jamaica, through the entry of Haitian nationals via unofficial ports, is real. She noted that those conditions are endemic in Haiti, while pointing out that cholera is a potentially life-threatening diarrhoeal disease.

Lewis said symptoms can develop five to 12 days after infection, with infected persons showing mild to moderate symptoms. She explained that roughly 10 per cent of infected persons are affected by profuse, watery diarrhoea, resulting in them becoming severely dehydrated. She noted also that, if this severe dehydration is not promptly treated, the person can die.

SYMPTOMS OF MALARIA

Lewis stated that symptoms of malaria, which is a potentially life-threatening parasitic infection caused by different species of the malaria parasite, begin showing within one week or up to one year after infection, depending on the species.

“The symptoms include fever, shaking, chills, headache, muscle pain, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea can also occur, and jaundice – that’s yellowing of the eyes, and anaemia may occur as the parasite destroys red blood cells in our circulatory system,” she said. “If this condition is not promptly treated, the infection can become severe and can cause kidney failures, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and even death.”

It is against that background that Lewis is imploring citizens to promptly alert the health team and the police when Haitian nationals arrive through the unofficial ports, so that they can do the necessary assessments and take the appropriate actions.

Since July 2023, approximately 130 Haitians have landed in Eastern Portland in five separate groups. So far, 93 of that number have been repatriated, while 37, who are currently housed at a location in Robins Bay, St Mary, are awaiting a ruling on whether their request for asylum will be granted.

gareth.davis@gleanerjm.com