Reporter
carisa.lee@cnc3.co.tt
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says the country has experienced an increase in dengue cases this year when compared to last year. But according to the Health Minister, no deaths have been recorded so far, which he described as crucial.
“Confirmed 2023—11, 2024—123, so we have seen an increase in confirmed cases ... If you research dengue around the world you will see dengue is becoming a huge public health problem around the world, cases have exploded,” he said while on the Brian Lara Promenade yesterday.
The minister added that there was also an increase in suspected cases from 34 in 2021 to 142 this year.
The World Health Organization described dengue as a viral infection that spreads from aedes aegypti mosquitoes to people. It is more common in tropical and subtropical climates and common symptoms are high fever, headache, body aches, nausea, and rash. Severe dengue can cause shock, internal bleeding, and death.
Deyalsingh revealed that dengue is not the chronic illness it used to be in this country and from next week, his ministry will launch a series of activities to get people to look at their surroundings.
“The main fight on dengue is not spraying, that is one. But the main fight is what we call source reduction at the level of the community and your household,” Deyalsingh said.
These include draining the water from flower pots, guttering, and barrels with water, where these mosquitoes lay their eggs.