Aedes mosquito index in western parishes down to single digits
Published:Saturday | February 1, 2020 | 12:35 PM
Christopher Thomas, Gleaner Writer
Parish Manager for the St James Health Department Lennox Wallace has indicated that Aedes mosquito population index has been reduced to below 10 percent in all four western parishes.
Wallace thanked vector control workers for their efforts.
“When you look at the numbers, we began mitigation for dengue with every single parish in the 20 percent range as far as the Aedes index is concerned. Today, I can tell you that the numbers for the western region are at unprecedented levels below what we started at, as low as 3.5 percent, and we have never seen such a low figure in this parish or this region,” said Wallace.
Westmoreland reported an index of 3.5 percent, followed by St James at 6.5 percent and Hanover and Trelawny each at 8.5 percent.
“This past Saturday and Sunday, we were out in the field inspecting schools and other areas where persons assemble and ensuring that the removal of breeding sites was taken care of,” said Wallace, referencing the recent three-day islandwide dengue clean-up campaign, held under the theme ‘Mosquitoes Wanted Dead, Not Alive.’
“In my recent memory, this would have been one of the longest outbreaks for any illnesses we have had in the country. But I can say categorically that it was the persistence of the vector control team and our chief public health inspectors that ensured that we were up to the task and able to manage this outbreak until today,” Wallace added.
He was speak at a ceremony at the headquarters of the Western Regional Health Authority in Montego Bay, St James on Tuesday where 10 new vector-control vehicles were handed over to health departments in the western region.
The new vehicles will be added to the current fleet of eight that are utilised by health departments in the western region.
St James and Westmoreland will each receive three vehicles, while Hanover and Trelawny will each get two.
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