From Prensa Latina

Bridgetown, Jan 18 (Prensa Latina) The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is calling on health officials from all over the region to prepare for the possibility of a serious dengue outbreak.
In a recent communiqué from the agency, it is recalled that the last major regional outbreak of this disease took place in 2009.

Since then, the region experienced two major outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases, Chikungunya in 2014 and Zika in 2016.

The regional agency also announced that another regional outbreak of dengue is predicted in the near future, given the increase in the number of cases reported last year in Latin America.

CARPHA also highlighted the recent outbreak of dengue in Jamaica, which raised the level of concern in other Caribbean islands.

Therefore, the Caribbean Public Health Agency advises the countries of the region to implement improved measures to reduce the reproduction of mosquitoes and prevent the spread of diseases.

Dengue fever is a flu-like illness that affects infants, young children, and adults, with symptoms that usually begin four to ten days after infection and include high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pain, and a characteristic skin rash.

It can progress to severe dengue, characterized by life-threatening complications, such as internal hemorrhage, severe and continuous abdominal pain or persistent sensitivity and vomiting.

Not only dengue, but also other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes threaten health, tourism, social, and economic development, and a collaborative effort is required to reduce its spread.

The vector of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads dengue, is present in all the Caribbean territories, where with the arrival of the rainy season in a few months, it is necessary to intensify mosquito control and sensitization activities.

Health ministries in the Caribbean are encouraged to: increase health promotion messages to prevent mosquitoes from biting and reproducing, join efforts with communities to eliminate hatcheries, intensify vector surveillance and control, and disseminate appropriate clinical treatment and care guidelines.

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