St Lucia monitoring elevated incidence of dengue & Chikungunya circumstances
Well being authorities in St Lucia say they’re monitoring alerts from the Pan American Well being Group (PAHO) relating to the elevated incidence of dengue and Chikungunya circumstances within the Americas together with the Caribbean.
They stated that the variety of dengue circumstances doubled final yr in contrast with 2021 and that “the identical growing tendencies have been famous with Chikungunya”.
In a press release, the Ministry of Well being, Wellness, and Aged Affairs stated though nearly all of these circumstances have been reported in South American international locations, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the vector answerable for the transmission of those illnesses, is current in St Lucia.
“Dengue circumstances proceed to be recorded in St Lucia all year long, normally peaking between the months of June and November. Because the introduction of the Chikungunya virus in 2014, random circumstances have been recorded,” it stated, noting that there have been no recorded circumstances of the Zika virus illness for the reason that 2016 outbreak.
“Though there has not been a recorded improve in circumstances of dengue and Chikungunya, the Ministry of Well being needs to reassure the general public that the prevention and management measures have been augmented,” it stated, including that each dengue and Chikungunya are viral sicknesses unfold by the chew of the Aedes aegypti mosquito and, to a lesser extent, Aedes Albopictus.
“Each are endemic to St Lucia, which means that there’s continued native transmission which frequently peaks throughout and after wet seasons. The present climate circumstances are favorable to mosquito breeding and because of this circumstances are prone to improve even outdoors of the wet season.”
the ministry stated that the mosquito lives in city environment and breeds principally in man-made containers. It’s a day-time feeder, with peak biting intervals within the early morning and within the night earlier than sundown.
The ministry stated indicators and signs embody fever, headache, muscle and joint ache; with the latter being extra frequent in chikungunya.
There isn’t any particular remedy for dengue and Chikungunya and administration is supportive based mostly on scientific presentation,’ the ministry stated, including that testing for each illnesses is on the market right here and members of the inhabitants, who could also be experiencing indicators and signs to hunt care at their nearest Wellness Centre.
CMC/