Influenza H1N1 in casinos and Free Zone
The five confirmed cases of swine flu have been detected at the northern border area where there is a lot of commercial activity with Mexico. Health officials believe there could be far more cases when the results of other samples come back from CAREC in Trinidad in the next few days. Deputy Regional Director of Health for the northern districts, Genoveva Heredia, says they are prepared to respond. And it was business as usual at the Corozal Free Zone where officials say they have again reinforced their awareness campaign. News Five’s Marion Ali headed to the zone and did not observe anyone wearing masks or gloves. Here’s her report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
At least two of the five cases hail from a casino at the northern border. And one employee told News Five off camera that from this establishment, Golden Bingo Princess Casino, a couple of their employees were sent home last week when they started displaying flu-like symptoms. We tried getting a comment about what precautionary methods the casino is exercising while it remains open, but the assistant manager would only tell us they will comment tomorrow.
Meanwhile, at this much smaller casino also at the border, a staff member told us that some employees have also been sent home with flu-like symptoms. Employees of both casinos told News Five that they exercise stricter cleaning practices now with their machines and don’t allow anyone displaying flu symptoms to enter their premises.
But while there are five cases now confirmed, Deputy Regional Director of Health for the north, Genoveva Heredia says as has been the norm, the five people started receiving treatment long before their cases were confirmed.
Genoveva Heredia, Deputy Northern Reg. Dir., Health
“We don’t wait for the result to come. These persons we had start treatment on them before we get the results. Therefore, we take them at home, voluntary isolation at home. We have a doctor that visits the home everyday and then the doctor give them the health education, the doctor check the patient, check the family to see if anybody from the family is infected and if any then we’d also treat the family.”
Marion Ali
“How are they doing now?”
Genoveva Heredia
“All of them are fine. This morning, the doctor just give me a report and she visit them and all of them are doing well. Some of them will start work this week coming.”
That is no doubt good news for those recovering from the virus and their employers. A few hundred yards away at the Corozal Free Zone, no cases have been confirmed yet. But officials there say the virus will not stop business.
David Akierman, Chairman, Corozal Free Zone
“H1N1 is here to stay; it’s like the AIDS. The human being will have to learn to live with it and have to continue reminding the people how to deal with it. That’s how we’re going to handle it.”
Marion Ali
“I didn’t observe any health officials at the entry to the Free Zone. Can you tell us what kind of measures you’re taking?”
David Akierman
“We are in constant contact with the Ministry of Health. So far, I think they are doing—they have put some preventative measures for the casinos. We are sort of operating more in the open space and casinos are more in the closed space so it has not been decided yet to put any preventative parameters as yet.”
Raul Rosado, C.E.O., Commercial Free Zone, Corozal
“There is no way that we can allow the virus to interrupt business. What we have to do and I believe we have been proactive from the outbreak as to educate the people, educate all our visitors, all our employees what were the preventative measures to take. If we close the zone or if we don’t close the zone, it doesn’t stop the virus. It’s we as people, as individuals who have to be proactive and have to take the necessary steps so as to avoid acquiring it.”
And while the virus is not as deadly as was initially thought, C.E.O. of the Corozal Free Zone, Raul Rosado, says everyone needs to do their part to avoid getting sick.
Raul Rosado
“All who travel to Mexico, they can acquire the virus from Mexico; not necessarily from the Free Zone or the casinos. All these people, I am saying is adhere to all the preventative measures that the Ministry of Health has been doing; wash your hands, if you have any flu like symptoms, report it to the health posts. They are basic stuff and it takes an effort on the part of each and every one of us to prevent the wide spread of this influenza.”
Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.
Free Zone officials say that if a huge number of cases are confirmed at the Free Zone, this would cripple business tremendously.
