International

Jamaica declares epidemic phase in dengue transmission

Photo: Ministerio de Salud. Jamaica

September 25 |

Jamaica’s Ministry of Health announced Saturday that the Caribbean island has entered the epidemic phase of dengue fever, following a sharp increase in cases of the mosquito-borne disease.

According to the announcement by health authorities, Jamaica surpassed the dengue epidemic threshold for July and August and is on track to do the same for September.

The Caribbean island, located south of Cuba, registered an increase in the number of cases compared to what is normally observed during these months of the year, the Ministry explained in a statement.

According to health authorities, as of Friday, the country registered 565 suspected and confirmed cases of dengue fever, of which 78 cases were confirmed, most of them in Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Thomas.

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In this context, the authorities specified that no dengue-related deaths were reported so far, although six deaths were under investigation.

Several Caribbean islands have seen significant increases in dengue cases this summer (boreal), associated with an increased presence of the transmitting mosquito, higher temperatures for longer periods of time and favorable local conditions.

Dengue is a potentially fatal viral infection transmitted by female mosquitoes, mainly of the Aedes species.

Some of the most frequent symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain and, in the most severe cases, hemorrhages that can cause death.

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Related Topics:epidemic phase in dengue transmission Jamaica

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