Six more workers, who fell ill at the Bosai manganese mining site in the Matthew’s Ridge area in Region One, were flown to the City this afternoon.

The six are exhibiting symptoms similar to the 7 other workers who were air dashed from the mining site over the weekend.

The ones who were flown out over the weekend have since been transferred to the West Demerara Hospital and have been isolated. The six workers who were brought to the city this afternoon have been admitted to the Georgetown Hospital and are being housed in an isolated area.

The type of illness has not been determined and several tests are being conducted. The Health Ministry has disputed reports that it may be cases of swine flu, pointing out that there has been no such determination.

Medical officials have said that the symptoms do not appear consistent with swine flu.

Some geological officials who are familiar with the area and villagers from the same area believe that the illness may be related to coming into contact with bat droppings.

The mining site and the mining caves are known to house hundreds of bats, according to persons from the area.

Over the weekend, National Emergency Operations centre was activated to address the situation with the manganese miners after they were air dashed from the region one area. 

The men had reportedly complained of being ill since earlier in the week, but efforts were only made on Saturday to fly them out of the area after one of the miners died, and the condition of the other seven appeared to have worsen. 

The medical probe continues this morning as doctors continue to keep the men in isolation.

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