Guadeloupe
Based on reports from general physicians at sentinel sites during the first week of 2010, the Institut de Veille Sanitaire came to the conclusion that the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe had experienced a dramatic increase in the number of cases of Clinical Dengue in early January 2010.
Using the data gathered from sentinel sites, the IVS estimated the number of cases country-wide at that time as high as 260, a number that, if confirmed, would be well above average.
Whereas the IVS was not clear about the exact number of Laboratory Confirmed Cases seen in the Department, what was certain was that 5 (five) persons were hospitalized in the first fortnight of 2010 suffering from complications of Dengue.
Virus circulation – presumably Dengue Virus 1 going by the 2009 trend – was strong throughout Guadeloupe except for the southern windward municipalities and southern and northern Basseterre.
The areas most affected in January were Pointoise (Gosier, Baie-Mahaut, Abymes, the south coast of Grande Terre (St. François, Sainte-Marie) and the northern coast of Vent (Petit Bourg). This placed Guadeloupe at “Epidemic Risk” for Dengue this quarter. Several weeks have gone by since early January but the number of Dengue Cases still remain above average for this time of year. (Sources: promedmail.org, invs.sante.fr)
The situation instead of worsening, stabilised in January. Diagnoses have hovered between 160 and 250 per week for a total of 2, 220 Clinical Cases. The number of Biologically Confirmed Cases kept steady too throughout January.
However, indications are that whereas the Positivity Rate (percentage of Clinical Diagnoses eventually Confirmed) at 37%-51% a week, was higher than what was projected, biological confirmations over the first two weeks of February slowed down marginally.
All of the figures for February have not yet been consolidated. Nevertheless, it can be said that the Dengue landscape on the south coast of Grande Terre improved significantly during the month. In contrast, Greater Pointoise (Baie-Mahaut, Abymes, Gosiers and Pointe à Pitre) was still under the Dengue gun with a 45% Positivity Rate. This phenomenon does not seem to apply to other parts of Basse Terre although some cases will be recorded.
In summary…
After remaining stable between August and November 2009, the number of Biologically Confirmed Cases hospitalized increased quickly in December, with a total of 19 cases. This number remained stable in January (20 cases recorded). Since the beginning of February, 11 cases were recorded.
In regards to the epidemic period from the first week of December 2009, 50 persons have been hospitalized, 24 adults and 26 children. The breakdown is 28 with the Classic form of the disease, 8 of them severe; 1 Hemorrhagic and 10 Incomplete Hemorrhagic forms. The other 3 cases are being classified.
The Dengue epidemic continues unchanged in Guadeloupe. Virus circulation is stable and has not increased during the last two months. The serotype in circulation is Dengue-1. The epidemiological situation of Guadeloupe is still in the Phase 4 outbreak mode. (Source: invs.sante.fr)
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