St James on high alert for yellow fever amid ongoing dengue outbreak
Published:Thursday | April 17, 2025 | 12:05 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Dr Francine Phillips-Kelly, medical officer of health for St James, says the parish remains vigilant in detecting mosquito-borne diseases such as yellow fever, even as Jamaica continues to battle a dengue outbreak.
Addressing the monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) on Thursday, Dr Phillips-Kelly urged councillors and residents alike to take personal responsibility in controlling the Aedes aegypti mosquito population. This mosquito species is the known carrier of both dengue and yellow fever viruses.
“Yellow fever cases have been increasing in regions surrounding us – not yet within our borders, but in the Americas. Confirmed cases have emerged in countries across South America,” said Phillips-Kelly.
“We also have endemic locations within the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. As a port parish that receives visitors from these areas, St James is maintaining high alert.”
She stressed that the Aedes mosquito, which is already prevalent in Jamaica, is the vector for yellow fever.
“We’re all familiar with the Aedes mosquito, and unfortunately, we have many of them among us. Again, personal responsibility is vital when it comes to reducing mosquito populations in and around our homes,” she added.
Yellow fever, which is endemic to tropical regions of Africa and Latin America, is named for jaundice – a symptom that may develop in some patients. While many individuals recover within a few days, severe cases can lead to organ failure and death.
In February, the Pan American Health Organization issued an epidemiological alert following the confirmation of yellow fever cases in the Americas. Last year, 61 cases were recorded in the region, resulting in 30 deaths. An additional 17 cases with seven fatalities were confirmed in January 2025.
‘CONTROL BREEDING SITES’
Turning to the dengue situation, Phillips-Kelly reminded the public that Jamaica remains under an outbreak declaration originally made in September 2023. At that time, the Ministry of Health had recorded 565 suspected, presumed, and confirmed dengue cases as of September 22.
“Dengue fever, our ‘good friend’, has not gone away,” she said. “The outbreak, which began more than a year ago, is still active – though we’re not seeing as many cases now. We must continue taking steps to control breeding sites. Remember, the Aedes mosquito is domestic – it lives with you, so do your part to keep its population down.”
Her comments followed the latest report from the St James Health Department, which revealed that the parish’s Aedes index – the measure of local mosquito breeding – rose to nine per cent in March, up from 7.6 per cent in February.
The report also noted that 1,407 premises in St James out of 15,531 inspected in March were positive for mosquito breeding, compared to 1,250 out of 16,300 in February.