Paediatrician died from COVID-19; family urges vigilance for symptoms

Last Updated on Friday, 4 September 2020, 19:41 by Denis Chabrol

Dr. Seepersaud Chatterdeo.

Well-known Guyanese paediatrician Dr. Seepersaud Chatterdeo died from the coronavirus, COVID-19, and his family is appealing to all those who were in contact with him to be on the lookout for symptoms.

“We recently learnt that a postmortem swab was positive for COVID 19. The relevant authorities have embarked on contact tracing but in the circumstances we are urging that all who may have been in contact with him over the past two weeks to be vigilant and observe the recommended guideline directed behavior such as social distancing, hand washing and wearing of masks,” the family said in a statement Friday night.

Dr. Chatterdeo’s family urged people, who might have been in contact with the late paediatrician, to look out for any symptoms or signs of COVID 19 infection.

Those would include fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell and taste, excessive tiredness, sore throat, diarrhea, body aches and pains.

The Chatterdeos advised persons with those symptoms to seek medical attention if  “you are concerned or have any of the above symptoms.”

The family of the late Dr. Seepersaud Chatterdeo express their deepest gratitude for the appreciation and love directed towards him and for the outpouring of support extended to them during this most difficult time.

Dr. Chatterdeo died on August 30 at the Balwant Singh Hospital where he had been rushed.

He started his medical career as a pharmacist then went on to pursue medicine at the University of Guyana before specialising in paediatrics at that same institution.

Dr. Chatterdeo was also a lecturer at the University of Guyana.

He practised in the public and private health sector.