Dengue cases increase in St. Catherine

 

The St. Catherine Health Department is reporting an increase in cases of dengue fever.

 

Dengue is an infection caused by a virus spread by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito.

 

Denece Douglas, Chief Public Health Inspector for St. Catherine, said the parish recorded 14 new cases of dengue last month.

 

Ms Douglas said there have been 43 dengue cases in the parish since the start of this year.

 

She is urging Jamaicans to exercise personal responsibility by ridding their homes of mosquito-breeding sites, noting that the high dengue transmission period coincides with the hurricane season annually. 

 

"Efforts are therefore being made to re-engage the temporary vector control workers to ensure that the gains we have achieved are not eroded. The current phase of the temporary vector control workers programme will end August 18, and following this, additional workers will be engaged for a period of six months.... They'll assist with health education, home inspection, and treating of mosquito breeding sites."

 

Ms Douglas was speaking Thursday at the monthly sitting of the St. Catherine Municipal Corporation.

 

Symptoms of dengue fever include sudden onset of fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle pain and skin rash.

 

The St. Catherine Health Department said it found and treated mosquito breeding sites at Spanish Town Hospital and Spanish Town market during its routine vector inspection.