The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is warning of the possibility of a major outbreak of the mosquito-borne dengue fever.
In a statement yesterday, CARPHA said that the last major regional outbreak of dengue occurred in 2009. Since then, it said that the Region has seen two large outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases, Chikungunya in 2014 and Zika in 2016, which are unlikely to reoccur soon. Disease modelling, however, predicts that another regional outbreak of dengue may occur in the near future, CARPHA said. It said that the outbreak of dengue in Jamaica has elevated the level of concern in other Caribbean islands. CARPHA is therefore advising countries to implement enhanced measures to reduce mosquito breeding and prevent the spread of disease.
Dengue is a flu-like ailment that affects infants, young children and adults. Symptoms usually begin four to ten days after infection, and include a high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a skin rash. CARPHA said that the illness can result in severe dengue, characterized by potentially deadly complications, such as internal haemorrhaging, intense and continuous abdominal pain or tenderness and persistent vomiting.
