Decline in dengue cases in St James - Davis

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis, says the sustained efforts of the St James Health Department and other agencies to eliminate mosquito breeding sites have resulted in a decline in the number of dengue cases in the parish.

“The report we got from the public health department at our last monthly meeting indicated that the number of dengue cases were down and that positive steps have been taken by the local agencies, including the National Solid Waste Management Authority to tackle the problem head-on,” he told JIS News.

He noted that the agencies embarked on a major drain-cleaning exercise as well as mitigation activities to curtail the breeding of mosquitoes.

He said that the process is ongoing, noting that some $8.7 million has been allocated to the Corporation, which will be distributed among the 17 parochial divisions for the continuation of mitigation works.

Davis is appealing to residents and business owners to play their part by ensuring that garbage is properly collected and disposed of, noting that some persons continue to show scant regard for best practices.

“A great part of the problem we have been having is the way in which we dispose of or how we treat our environment,” he noted.

Davis said that as long as residents continue to work hand in hand with the local agencies, he is confident that the numbers will continue to fall in Montego Bay and the wider St James.

“In this new year, 2020, let’s make a concerted effort to do what is right for our environment and for our communities. It’s not just dengue we have to worry about from the mosquitoes. There are other mosquito-borne diseases that we have to be careful of, so it is very important that we take time out to do what is right,” he said.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us @onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.