A DEADLY and highly contagious disease could be behind an Eastern Cape health employee’s sudden illness and subsequent admission to an isolation ward at an East London private hospital.
Noluvuyo Maseti, who works at the Woodbrook Forensic Pathology Services on the West Bank in East London, was taken to hospital on Sunday after she and a colleague removed the body an Indian sailor from a foreign vessel in the East London harbour last Wednesday.
The vessel, Mid Fortune, an oil/chemical tanker registered in the Cayman Islands, made an emergency stop in East London after cook Ashok Kumar fell ill and died. Since Maseti’s hospitalisation, two of her colleagues have failed to report for work.
Eastern Cape Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that Maseti was admitted to hospital, but couldn’t comment on her co-workers.
“We don’t have any diagnosis of , who is at St Dominic’s Hospital. According to Dr Solomzi Zondi, there is no confirmation yet of the results of the post-mortem of the deceased ,” said Kupelo, adding workers were often absent without official leave.
Dr Zondi did the postmortem.
Kupelo said forensic officers normally wore masks and gloves when removing bodies, unless it was noted that other protective gear was required.
“Since it was a sudden death they went there to collect the body not knowing it was highly infectious,” he said. “They have protective gear and Maseti has been admitted to hospital with other illnesses … her situation is being monitored.
“There is no need to panic.”
Border-Kei area Life Healthcare Group spokeswoman Ailsa Thorpe said she could not comment on Maseti.
Kumar allegedly fell ill while on the ship, showing signs of fever at about 2am on Wednesday. Due to his rapidly deteriorating condition, an onboard doctor called for the ship to make an emergency stop in East London to get him to the nearest hospital. But Kumar died before the ship could dock.
Once the vessel arrived in East London, forensic workers from Woodbrook were sent to collect his body.
Since he was from a foreign country, workers immediately started the autopsy so the body could be repatriated. The Dispatch was told Kumar’s body had blood in his mouth, nose, lungs, brain and kidneys.
Yesterday, a source at the Woodbrook laboratory told the Dispatch it was highly probable that Kumar suffered from meningococcal meningitis.
The source, who cannot be named, said the disease was highly infectious.
“It is suspected that the deceased might have what we call a fastigious bacteria or protozoa, or had viruses in his body.
“These are highly infectious and we are worried about the employee admitted in hospital,” said the source, adding the latest developments had been communicated to the ship’s onboard doctor.
The family of Maseti were anxiously waiting for results of tests conducted on her.
“The family had been calling some of the staff to get to know the extent of this disease and the results,” said the source.
Maseti’s family, believed to be from King William’s Town, could not be reached.
The Dispatch has been reliably told that Kumar’s body is in Johannesburg waiting to be flown to India.
Aviation authorities refused to release it without knowing the exact cause of death, fearing it could be highly contagious.
Questions were sent to the SA Civil Aviation Authority, but no response had been received at the time of going to print.
“The forensic pathologists noticed that the body was decomposing very fast,” said the source.
The Indian Embassy in Pretoria said they were unaware of Kumar’s death. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za / siyab@dispatch.co.za
Disease alarm after sailor dies
Noluvuyo Maseti, who works at the Woodbrook Forensic Pathology Services on the West Bank in East London, was taken to hospital on Sunday after she and a colleague removed the body an Indian sailor from a foreign vessel in the East London harbour last Wednesday.
The vessel, Mid Fortune, an oil/chemical tanker registered in the Cayman Islands, made an emergency stop in East London after cook Ashok Kumar fell ill and died. Since Maseti’s hospitalisation, two of her colleagues have failed to report for work.
Eastern Cape Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that Maseti was admitted to hospital, but couldn’t comment on her co-workers.
“We don’t have any diagnosis of , who is at St Dominic’s Hospital. According to Dr Solomzi Zondi, there is no confirmation yet of the results of the post-mortem of the deceased ,” said Kupelo, adding workers were often absent without official leave.
Dr Zondi did the postmortem.
Kupelo said forensic officers normally wore masks and gloves when removing bodies, unless it was noted that other protective gear was required.
“Since it was a sudden death they went there to collect the body not knowing it was highly infectious,” he said. “They have protective gear and Maseti has been admitted to hospital with other illnesses … her situation is being monitored.
“There is no need to panic.”
Border-Kei area Life Healthcare Group spokeswoman Ailsa Thorpe said she could not comment on Maseti.
Kumar allegedly fell ill while on the ship, showing signs of fever at about 2am on Wednesday. Due to his rapidly deteriorating condition, an onboard doctor called for the ship to make an emergency stop in East London to get him to the nearest hospital. But Kumar died before the ship could dock.
Once the vessel arrived in East London, forensic workers from Woodbrook were sent to collect his body.
Since he was from a foreign country, workers immediately started the autopsy so the body could be repatriated. The Dispatch was told Kumar’s body had blood in his mouth, nose, lungs, brain and kidneys.
Yesterday, a source at the Woodbrook laboratory told the Dispatch it was highly probable that Kumar suffered from meningococcal meningitis.
The source, who cannot be named, said the disease was highly infectious.
“It is suspected that the deceased might have what we call a fastigious bacteria or protozoa, or had viruses in his body.
“These are highly infectious and we are worried about the employee admitted in hospital,” said the source, adding the latest developments had been communicated to the ship’s onboard doctor.
The family of Maseti were anxiously waiting for results of tests conducted on her.
“The family had been calling some of the staff to get to know the extent of this disease and the results,” said the source.
Maseti’s family, believed to be from King William’s Town, could not be reached.
The Dispatch has been reliably told that Kumar’s body is in Johannesburg waiting to be flown to India.
Aviation authorities refused to release it without knowing the exact cause of death, fearing it could be highly contagious.
Questions were sent to the SA Civil Aviation Authority, but no response had been received at the time of going to print.
“The forensic pathologists noticed that the body was decomposing very fast,” said the source.
The Indian Embassy in Pretoria said they were unaware of Kumar’s death. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za / siyab@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos