Mould closes CedarBridge

[Guest guest]

Potentially deadly aspergillus fungus could be cause of recent

illnesses

Royal Gazette - Bermuda

By Neil, Dan and Jannell Ford

sneil@...

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20061102/NEWS/111020166

A potentially fatal mould could be at the centre of a health scare

that has closed CedarBridge Academy and may have spread unchecked

for months through the air-conditioning system.

Teachers have become seriously ill and the entire school is today

out of bounds after the alarming scale of the problem became

apparent.

More than 1,000 students and staff have been told to stay away until

further notice.

Health experts are trying to positively identify what has caused a

spate of illness at the school and to locate its source.

A suggestion that the cause could be aspergillus mould, which at its

most dangerous can have fatal consequences in humans, is being

investigated.

Yet even as an immediate full scale clean-up of the school was

ordered last night by Education Minister Randy Horton the school was

hosting around 100 people attending a gang culture forum in the Ruth

Seaton Auditorium. ZBM-TV news has reported at least two teachers

are looking at their legal options because of health concerns.

Education permanent secretary Rosemary Tyrrell is amongst those said

to have had breathing difficulties after visiting the school for

only a short time.

Mr. Horton made the announcement during the 7 p.m. evening news,

surrounded by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Cann, principal Kalmar

s, Mrs. Tyrrell, Permanent Secretary for Health

Monkman, Works & Engineering permanent secretary Derrick Binns, the

president of the Bermuda Union of Teachers president Trott, BUT

organiser Mike and others.

The decision to close the school came after consultation between the

Education and Health Ministries and the Bermuda Union of Teachers.

" We are not comfortable that the education of our students can

continue in a safe, healthy environment, " said Mr. Horton.

" I have therefore directed the school be closed while clean-up and

mitigation efforts proceed, until such time as a comprehensive

solution can be found. "

It is not known how long it will take to clean up the school but it

is hoped the disruption can be limited to the next two weeks.

Plans are being drawn up to find activities for the displaced

students next week, the following week is mid-term holiday.

A number of students were attending a meeting at the school last

night and were unaware of the closure notice until informed by a

Royal Gazette reporter.

, 17, said: " This school is not that old. How could

this happen?

" I am concerned for my health and the health of my fellow

classmates. I think we should all go to our doctors and get checked

out. "

A meeting for CedarBridge Academy teachers and staff will be held

today at 2 p.m. at the First Church of God, North Shore Road,

Pembroke.

The Education Ministry has pledged to keep teachers, parents and the

public informed of developments.

Asked how long the problem had existed Mr. Horton said: " This is not

something that just happened yesterday. "

It appears the first signs of a problem emerged months ago with a

number of teachers reporting feeling unwell.

At the start of the new term in September a music room and a

computer room were closed off, with some teachers saying the reason

was because of mould.

By last week a growing emergency was evident when 20 classrooms were

put out of action and students were relocated to trailer-type

classrooms.

Problems with mould infestation at the school date back at least two

years.

Teachers and students fell ill in late 2004 complaining or

respiratory infections, allergies, sneezing and coughing.

Inspections were carried out at that time in specific areas of the

school through to be harbouring airborne mould.

Dr. Cann last night confirmed there was a new contamination that

needed to be removed, although test results were still to confirm

whether aspergillus mould was present.

The mould has varying effect on the health of those who breath it in.

Most healthy people are unaffected, but it can cause respiratory

difficulties for those with weakened immune system or pre-existing

conditions such as asthma.

At its most harmful aspergillus mould can lead to disseminated or

invasive aspergillosis that is known to cause death.

The BUT has decided not to hold its annual conference at CedarBridge

as had previously been planned.

BUT president Trott, said: " Teachers have been complaining for

some time about illness – over a period of months. The issue is

verification of the problem.

" That has taken some time to do and get confirmation there is

something there worth taking this type of action for.

" It is unknown how many teachers have been affected. Bermuda being

Bermuda people suffer from allergies and colds and asthma all the

time, so to identify who has become sick because of this particular

thing is not known.

" There are a number of teachers who have experienced difficulties

enough that the Ministry has taken this course of action. "

She said the Education Ministry had taken steps when the problem was

first noticed and further tests had been made as more teachers

became sick.

Mrs. Trott said teachers had been to their doctors and a number had

been verified as " quite seriously ill " as a result to exposure to

something at the school.

She added: " From what I understand there are problems in terms of

the air conditioning and that kind of thing, so those areas extend

throughout the school.

" Wise steps have now been taken until we know exactly what we are

dealing with. Rather than speculate we are going to wait.

" Apparently there is an expert coming in (today) to give us those

answers. "