MOH Says People Must Search Out, Eradicate Mosquito Sites
The Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for St Ann is appealing to residents of the parish to make increased efforts to detect and eradicate mosquito breeding sites in the fight against an increased number of reported dengue cases.
Dr Tamika Henry said personal effort was important and would back up the multi-faceted activities of the St Ann Health Department across the parish of St Ann against the mosquito-borne disease.
Addressing the monthly meeting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation (SAMC) on Thursday, September 14, Dr Henry, said the parish was on high alert due to the endemic nature of dengue in Jamaica. She stressed that there was no outbreak. However, the MOH said there was a need for individuals to be diligent in finding and eradicating mosquito breeding sites. She said they should be alert to the possibility and danger of creating such sites by their activities.
She said the fight was not only that of the Health Department which was aggressively involved in eradicating mosquito breeding sites in public places including major towns, business places, and dwellings.
Dr Henry said that up to last week there were 17 notifications of suspected dengue cases. One of these has been confirmed in a 13-year-old boy. The number of cases was an increase on 2022, when there were 10 reported cases.
She said there were two particular age groups of concern – five to 14, those in primary and secondary schools; as well as persons 24 to 44 years old.
There are more cases being reported in males than in females.
