Health officials have said that mold is the culprit behind symptoms of illness manifested students at the Roseau Primary School and other nearby schools in the Bath Estate area.
Officials met with parents of the Roseau Primary School on Monday morning and revealed that four buildings in the area were taken over by mold, which is a type of fungus.
A parent, who was at the meeting, told DNO that the officials said the children became sick because of exposure to the fungus.
The officials told the parents the schools have been “hosed down” and trees around the area were cut down by prisoners as part of efforts to combat the mold.
Despite this, the parent told DNO that a child fainted while the meeting was in progress and had to be rushed to hospital with breathing problems.
The parent said that despite the measures taken, the officials explained that mold remains a problem “and it was literally leaking from the roof” of the Roseau Primary School.
Molds are microscopic organisms that can be found in shady, damp areas, or places where leaves or other vegetation is decomposing. When molds are disturbed, they release tiny cells called spores into the surrounding air, according to the US Environmental Health Agency.
Molds produce irritating substances that may act as allergens (allergy-causing substances) in sensitive individuals. Furthermore, some molds produce toxic substances. Molds may not cause health effects or they may lead to symptoms in people who are sensitive to molds.
Schools in the area were closed last week because of the problem but students were asked to return on Monday morning.
The problem was first blamed on asbestos but this was ruled out by officials.
More on this story later.
Please clean up, test and tell us the truth.
Dominicans, please, do not just accept what these people say.
have those children been tested? Parents do the right thing for your students. The Min. of Ed is responsible to get your children tested.
Please Health and Enironmental Divisions need to discuss and do a thorough Clean up. Test for everything and then reveal the truth to the citizens. The symptoms today may have disastrous consequences later. I suffered with allergies severely as a child. Never went to the doctor: parents did not know what to do. Rubbed nose, chest and throat with Vics Vapour Rub, used Vics Inhaler, rubbed with Limacol, and Alcolado and drank ginger tea. I survived. Still alive. Did not know about it. I did the skin tests in the US. Found I am allergic to mould and mildew, dust, mites. Unless you have allergies you do not understand. It is a delibitating condition. I know the children cannot focus on school if they are sick. The teachers also cannot teach effectively. This is not a good situation. Let’s pray for recovery and a solution. God Bless.
Fyi. Mold is very dangerous, and causes a lot of complications especially respiratory problems. What type of mold is it? Water won’t treat mold.
Don’t forget it’s also inside the walls. You can wash the outside but The inside is still infected…
ok. you say it is mold. why wasnt the mold affecting the students all the time? why did the mold start to affect them when the building went down. wow!
Believe it or not mold does a lot of damage that any one can imagine.I works at villas and on numerous times we have to call experts to come and have the molds cleaned up.Power hosing is not enough.And using vinegar and water is good for mold and using clorox directly also DON’T TAKE THESE MOLDS LIGHTLY.
Is this problem a problem that just exploded, or is this something that was hidden for some time? After all, mold did not arise in lovely D.ca yesterday, or last week. Mold has been with us for a long, long time. l can go to many places in Roseau, Massacre, just about anywhere in D/ca and see mold and the people’s exposed to it actions or behaviors are not different than any other. What is going on? Look, this is serious business and we need to hear inteligent reporting. Really, what is affecting our children? We are looking for answers. l mean honest answers. .
The area will need to be treated chemically to prevent the return of the mold.
Understood that there is no school on Tuesday 4th February 2014. Has that information been made public so that parents won’t have to spend unnecessarily? Ministry of Education if you have not done that please do some Damage Control and put and announcement on the air. What’s done is done. Let’s move on as responsible people and chart the way forward so that the situation can be quickly resolved. Come on we agree that the children should go back to school but the environment needs to be safe and healthy. Sick children and teachers definitely cannot perform. Thank you
Dangger for the kids tho. Environ health must take suff mo serious. And fire that fool they calling official
Is true
Truth
dno why not show the actual mould in the school itself? we need to see if this is certain. sounds like it is not.
my point exactly
The molds are definitely there.
Mold. It’s officially ridiculous tho. Their recommendation is So let’s hose it down? Seems like our officials don’t know what they are about ,
But today children was till itching and children still fainting? Stop playing cat and mouse with people children life. You all must get more conclusive reports for the parents. I am going to write to the US Health department because my child is an American Citizen. I not sending my child to school tomorrow.
What d helll the US Health department can do…take ur damn child bakc to the US and stop playing american…i bet your visa was revoked because u overstsayed on it…. stupes
Not surprised at all. We see and hear of that problem ever so often here in Atlanta Georgia. In fact I called Matt that morning and mentioned that it could be mold causing the illnesses. I am happy they discovered the problem and can rectify the situation.
WOW’ As a health and safety worker, I must say this is one of the most silent and deadliest killers in our environment.Mold even though its not seen immediately can be deadly. Inhaling it over a period of time will most definitely cause extreme damage in the long run especially to those with weaker immune systems t=like the kids. Most often the only way to get rid of it is tearing apart the entire area and rebuilding. This is very serious.The space should not even be utilized. Parents should see to it that their kids are not in there.
Well seed. this is very serious…
abestos caused the kids to be sick not mold,believe it or not !
Ye mold my foot it’s asbestos the building was built with asbestos
i think you need to go throw yourself from the mountain top that you are on. smh
I remember attending Teachers college in the early in the nineties and there was that exposed sewage soakaway in close proximity of that school.Soemtimes the stench from that thing would be affecting teachers at the college. How was that treated?
Don’t you think it be a good idea to investigate that area. If the problem is airborne you never know fumes could be leaking from that condemned space. Just a thought
I noticed that that there are several derelict vehicles and garbage dumped right at the school fence (behind). Could it be that rats and other vermin from that spot are contaminating the desks and other parts of the school that the kids touch? Just wondering…That garbage should be cleaned out.
Something smells like “mold” to me. How about mold and asbestos combine?
The officials should have bought chlorine and clean the place. what a shame they just hose down
The walls need to be bleached and use air humifiers in the building and ensure that their is adequate ventilation
Dehumidifies to remove humidity.
ok, so they should post a pic of where the mold was. sounds legit. ive been there everyday and never seen mold. the cleaners there can attest to that. and was the newtown primary next door infested with mold too? how about the neighbors of that area? wow, anything to free up our name eh!
Seemed like it from bigining. Not trying to be negative but hoseing down mold is not a corrective action. Not sure what was used but simply cleaning with bleach and drying areas shoul help. Hoseing area washes away spores but adds moisture which may only make problem worst later
way papa look story. Nothing conclusive; take the money you all spending uselessly and get an scientist to tell us wats happening there. I suspect that the health people are not certain so for GOD SAKE get an expert.
“Hosed down?!!” I certainly hope that there was more than water in the hose (i.e bleach or some disinfectant) Mould remediation is very expensive and usually requires replacement of the building materials especially if it is wood or it simply comes back. The use of UV light as a sterilization technique is also very effective at destroying spores and preventing germination.