KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC -Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton is calling on Jamaicans to take action to minimize the spread of the dengue virus, with the country recording an estimated 3,147 suspected, presumed, and confirmed dengue cases so far.
On September 23, the Ministry declared a dengue outbreak for the island. Since then, it has distributed more than 500 drum covers to households and increased fogging across the island, both morning and evening, with 461 communities fogged and 115 high-risk communities fogged.
Tufton said monitoring of water-storage containers for mosquito breeding must be done regularly, as well as keeping surroundings “free of debris,” destroying or treating potential mosquito breeding sites, wearing protective clothing, and using a DEET mosquito repellant are essential features to be observed.
“The public is urged not to use aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen, or any of the medications/pain relievers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). When used to treat the fever in dengue, these drugs have been known to increase the severity of the disease,” he told reporters.
Tufton noted that, on occasion, the illness could progress to severe dengue, which can result in organ failure, bleeding (hemorrhage), and severe fluid depletion that can lead to “shock and death.”
He urged people experiencing fever, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, bleeding under the skin (petechial rash), feeling very weak, or getting confused to seek immediate medical attention.
“Rest and adequate hydration are usually enough to see one through the illness. The recommended treatment for the fever is acetaminophen/paracetamol,” Tufton said, noting that dengue cases remain “above the epidemic threshold.”
He said that dengue serotypes 2, 3, and 4 have been identified among the population, with dengue serotype 2 remaining the dominant strain.
Health authorities say an estimated 700 temporary vector-control workers continue to be engaged in search and destroy and health education activities across the island.
The Health and Wellness Minister said that children in the five to 14 age cohort continue to be “cause for concern,” with the highest number of suspected/presumed/confirmed dengue cases observed in that group, at a rate of 360.3 cases per 100,000 persons.
“All parishes continue to observe an increase in dengue cases compared to 2022, with Kingston and St. Andrew reporting the highest number of cases (776) for 2023. At the same time, St. Thomas maintains the highest rate of cases with 382.5 cases per 100,000 population, followed by Portland (221.0 per 100,000) and Trelawny with 160.0 per 100,000,” he added.
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