Over 30 Cases Of Dengue Fever Recorded In St Catherine So Far This Year

At least 30 cases of dengue fever have reportedly been recorded in the parish of St Catherine since the start of 2018.

Indications are that the areas most affected are Portmore and Spanish Town.

Portmore has reportedly been plagued by a mosquito infestation which has been exacerbated by continuous rainfall in recent weeks.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus.Symptoms typically begin three to fourteen days after infection.This may include a high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash.

Recovery generally takes two to seven days. In a small proportion of cases, the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs.

Dengue is spread by several species of mosquito of the Aedes type, principally A. aegypti.

The virus has five different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. Subsequent infection with a different type increases the risk of severe complications.

Last month an 8-year-old boy reportedly succumbed to dengue haemorrhagic fever while being treated at hospital.

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