St Elizabeth Health Department ramping up dengue fever alert
The St Elizabeth Health Department is ramping up efforts to prevent and control the spread of dengue fever across the parish.
This comes against the background of reports of increasing cases of the disease in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
Addressing the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting in Black River on Thursday, September 14, Medical Officer of Health, St Elizabeth Health Department, Dr Tonia Dawkins-Beharie, indicated that currently the parish’s Aedes aegypti mosquito index stands at 12 per cent, a 0.5 percentage point increase over the previous month’s figure.
She shared important insights into the situation and the proactive measures being taken to combat the public health threat.
“We are in the process of re-engaging our temporary vector-control workers. So, in short order, you’ll see an increased number of those workers out in the communities, checking for and destroying mosquito breeding sites and educating members of the community. We have also revised our [vector-control workers] plan, and that will be activated in short order,” Dr Dawkins-Beharie informed.
She maintained that dengue prevention is a collective responsibility and urges all persons to regularly empty or cover water storage drums and containers.
Additionally, the medical officer said cooking oil can be added to stagnant water in and around the home to prevent mosquito breeding.
“To protect yourself from dengue, you need to protect yourselves from mosquito bites. We need to protect ourselves from mosquito bites by wearing covered clothing where possible, light-coloured clothing, and using a mosquito repellent as best as possible,” Dr Dawkins-Beharie further stated.
She reiterated dengue fever’s clinical presentation, noting that the viral infection’s symptoms manifest in the form of fever, joint and abdominal pain, pain behind the eyes, and sometimes bleeding.
The medical officer advised against using painkillers containing aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), noting that these can worsen the symptoms causing, among other things, adverse bleeding. She recommends that paracetamol be used instead for pain relief.
She pointed out that some individuals may experience adverse dengue symptoms that require hospitalisation, emphasising that where this occurs, it is imperative that they seek immediate medical attention.
Dr Dawkins-Beharie underscored that it is incumbent on every Jamaican to heed the warnings, take precautions, and work together to safeguard the health of the community and, by extension, country.
– JIS