Well being authorities appealed to Jamaicans to not panic because the nation’s dengue fever circumstances swelled to 870.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie mentioned that is the best variety of confirmed circumstances compared to earlier outbreaks in 2019 (179) and 2016 (190 circumstances).
“…By far the variety of confirmed circumstances at 870 is much more than we had within the earlier years,” she informed at a press convention held on the ministry’s New Kingston workplace on Thursday, however appealed to Jamaicans to not panic.
She mentioned the affirmation of this variety of dengue circumstances is because of the well being ministry’s elevated capability to check on the Nationwide Public Well being Lab.
“In 2019 we needed to rely fairly a bit on outcomes coming in from the Caribbean Public Well being Company in Trinidad, and there was a protracted delay in getting outcomes. Now we’re getting outcomes inside 48 hours and…larger numbers of take a look at outcomes,” she mentioned.
The CMO mentioned the 870 circumstances are among the many 3,147 suspected, presumed, and confirmed dengue circumstances recorded by the well being ministry’s Nationwide Surveillance Unit as of November 6, 2023.
She mentioned the variety of confirmed dengue-related deaths have moved to 2. That is among the many 9 deaths recorded, with seven categorised as suspected. No deaths have, nonetheless, been recorded prior to now two weeks.
Moreover, inside the final week, on common 72 folks have required hospitalisation for dengue signs.
Bisasor McKenzie mentioned that of the 870 confirmed circumstances, 863 are dengue serotype 2, probably the most dominant pressure within the island.
“Though we’re seeing October being lower than September presently…as we get in additional notifications that will change. So we may even see the height remaining in September, however it might change because the numbers are available in, and October numbers might rise,” she mentioned. The CMO additional famous that every one parishes proceed to look at a rise in dengue circumstances in comparison with 2022 when Kingston and St Andrew and St Catherine had the best variety of circumstances as they’re probably the most dense parishes and, subsequently, extra extremely populated leading to extra circumstances.
“Nevertheless, when it comes to fee per 100,000 inhabitants, St Thomas, adopted by Portland, is the place you’re seeing larger numbers,” she mentioned.
Within the meantime, Minister of Well being and Wellness Dr Chistopher Tufton mentioned the outbreak is anticipated to run its course till the tip of 2023 into the brand new yr.
“We do anticipate, primarily based on the epidemiological evaluation, that we’ll proceed to see the presence of the virus and maybe on the rise going into the tip of this yr after which dissipate over time within the first quarter of subsequent yr,” he mentioned.
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