Press Release from the Ministry of Health:
KINGSTON,
Jamaica. Wednesday, October 18, 2023:
The Ministry of Health & Wellness has reported that as of Tuesday, October
17, 2023, there were 434 confirmed Dengue cases in the country from approximately
2,107 suspected, presumed, and confirmed cases. At the same time, there were
seven Dengue-related deaths – five classified as suspected and two as
confirmed.
All parishes continue to observe an increase
in Dengue cases this year when compared to 2022. Kingston & St. Andrew
reported the highest number of cases (600) for 2023. However, St. Thomas
maintains the highest rate of 310.4 cases per 100,000 population, followed by
Portland and St. Mary.
Jamaicans in the 5 to 14 years old cohort
continue to be the most affected by the virus with a rate of 240.4 cases per
100,000 population.
The
Ministry again reminds the public that Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease
that is usually a mild illness in which a person may get a fever, headache,
joint, and muscle pains. Rest and adequate hydration are usually enough to see
one through the period of illness. The recommended treatment for the fever is
acetaminophen/paracetamol.
Members
of the public are implored not to use aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen, or any of
the medications/pain relievers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs). These drugs, when used to
treat the fever in Dengue, have been known to increase the severity of the
disease.
On occasions, the illness can progress to Severe Dengue, which can result in organ failure as well as bleeding (haemorrhage), and severe fluid depletion that can lead to shock and death. Persons experiencing fever, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, bleeding under the skin (petechial rash), feeling very weak, or getting confused, are to seek immediate medical attention.
Persons
are asked to play their part in ensuring that the Dengue cases are minimised by
monitoring water storage containers for mosquito breeding; keeping surroundings
free of debris; destroying or treating potential mosquito breeding sites;
wearing protective clothing and using a DEET-containing mosquito repellant.
________________________
.jpeg)
Have to be careful & safeš¤”
ReplyDeleteI am not seeing any fogging taking place, some people have to be lighting bush around their yards
ReplyDeleteMaintenance of gullies, drains control of dumping, cutting of empty lot (at the expense of owners) are important. In the final anaysis, it comes down to proper governance which is poor in Jamaica.
ReplyDeleteThere is an urgent need for some fogging to be done in the communities.
ReplyDelete