St Vincent and the Grenadines confirms dengue outbreak

Health authorities have confirmed an outbreak of dengue fever in St Vincent and the Grenadines, three years after the last outbreak claimed at least seven lives, most of them children.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment said on Friday that its Epidemiology Unit has recorded 119 dengue fever cases so far in 2024 and that of those cases, 23 were in June and 82 last month.

“Based on the epidemiological data, the number of lab confirmed cases of dengue fever has exceeded the threshold of the number expected indicating that there is a dengue fever outbreak in St Vincent and the Grenadines,” the ministry said.

The ministry is urging the public to adhere to all the basic precautionary measures to prevent the spread of vector borne diseases during the summer vacation.

“As we approach the month of August, the public is reminded that we are still within the hurricane season and August is expected to be hotter than normal.

“These weather patterns can create ideal breeding sites for the aedes aegypti mosquito. This mosquito carries dengue fever, Zika and Chik V,” the ministry said in a press statement.

It said that to combat the further spread of the dengue virus, the government has implemented increased public awareness and health education interventions as well as increased surveillance including the use of GIS mapping for more targeted source reduction.

SOURCE: CMC