Later Post on Dengue
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The Environmental Health Division of the Ministry of Health and Social Development is putting residents of and visitors to the British Virgin Islands on high alert in response to a Dengue Outbreak in Puerto Rico and Guyana that is now at near epidemic proportions. Dengue Fever, a vector-borne disease spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is readily found in the BVI.  Dengue Fever is characterised by a sudden onset high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains and a rash on the body.

According to the PR government epidemiologist, Enid Garcia Rivera, more than 3,200 suspected Dengue cases have been recorded in the country since January.  This figure is more than double the number for the same period last year. Rivera added that most of the confirmed cases of the disease occurred in Puerto Rico’s urban areas.  ”We are in what could be a Dengue epidemic,” she said.

In Guyana, new Dengue infections are being recorded to such an extent that Guyana’s Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy was moved to admit that the disease is being closely monitored especially since the importation of a single case of the potentially fatal Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) earlier this year.  The Minister would not disclose which country the infected case came from, but stressed that surveillance had intensified at ports of entry.

Here in the BVI, Aedes aegypti Inspectors are currently conducting house-to-house surveys at West End in a search and destroy campaign designed to rid all premises in close proximity to the West End Ferry Dock of the Aedes mosquito.  The T. B. Lettsome International Airport has already been inspected by the team. The whole of Beef Island and part of East End will be completely surveyed by Thursday, September 06, 2007.

Given the amount of human traffic which takes place between Puerto Rico, Guyana and the BVI, all travellers to the territory as well as returning residents who develop a high fever, headache, body pains or a rash should report it to the Environmental Health Division and present to a family doctor or a physician or go directly to the nearest health centre or the Peeble’s Hospital.

Property owners who receive visitors from PR and Guyana should be aware of the signs and symptoms of Dengue and advise their guests accordingly.

Householders must also take the time right now to inspect their own premises to ensure that there is no unprotected standing water that would allow mosquitos to breed.  These include cisterns, black tanks, drums, pails and buckets, discarded appliances, derelict vehicles or any container for that matter which can collect rainfall.

Additionally:

  • cover all cistern inlets from the roofs and overflow pipes with window screen material (repair the manhole covers if broken or uneven);

  • keep house plants and flowers in damp soil instead of water;

  • keep flower pot saucers dry and avoid over-watering potted plants;

  • get rid of all old tyres, tins , bottles , plastic containers, coconut shells and anything in which rain water can settle;

  • cover trash containers to keep out rain water;

  • cover all drums, barrels, tanks, buckets and any other container that is used to store water;

  • repair leaky pipes and outdoor faucets;

  • and clear roof gutters and eaves of leaves, dirt and twigs to prevent water from settling.

For further information and advice on how to control the dreaded Aedes aegypti mosquito, the carrier of Dengue Fever, contact the Vector Control Unit of the Environmental Health Division at government extensions 5110 or 4965 in the BVI for more information and advice.

Everyone else could have their questions answered by leaving a comment below.

And remember, No Mosquitos; No bites; No Dengue.

Related Post: ‘Dengue Fever is Dangerous’ slideshow