Dengue concerns downplayed in Trelawny
Published:Saturday | September 28, 2019 | 12:06 AMLeon Jackson/Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
While Trelawny is currently seeing an increase in the number of suspected cases of dengue fever, Dr Diahann Dale, the medical officer of health for the parish, is not unduly worried, saying the situation is not abnormal.
“It is not unusual for there to be an increase during this time of the year. Trelawny is no different from other parishes, especially where there is constant rain,” Dale told The Gleaner. “There has been only one confirmed death from the mosquito-borne disease [in the parish]. There have been other deaths, which have been suspected to be associated with dengue, but lab results have not yet confirmed that these people died from dengue.”
She is calling on persons, especially the young and elderly, who are afflicted by diseases like asthma and sickle cell, to seek medical attention urgently when certain symptoms are observed.
“Go to the doctor and avoid taking aspirin, which helps to thin the blood, and in the case of a person with dengue, the risk of bleeding is ever-present,” said Dale.
MOSQUITO BREEDING SITES
She said that most of the parish’s dengue cases have surfaced in areas where people are without piped water and store the commodity in drums.
“The mosquito breeds in clear water, so if the water is stored in drums, then residents are encouraged to cover them. ... The way garbage is being disposed of is another way that offers grounds for the mosquito to breed,” continued Dale. “Residents should ensure that their garbage is stored in a way that it does not offer opportunities to catch rainwater. Sometimes garbage is not collected timely, and this becomes a vehicle for the mosquito to breed in.”
The Ministry of Health and Wellness recently increased the number of vector control officers in western Jamaica and has stepped up fogging exercises to reduce the mosquito population.
“We want to encourage residents to open their windows when fogging is being done. This allows the smoke to go into those areas where the mosquitoes may congregate and then come out after the fogging is done,” said Dale.