The outbreak comes after the National Surveillance Unit “reported that Jamaica surpassed the dengue epidemic threshold in July and August and is on track to do the same in September.” “The dominant strain is dengue type 2, which was last dominant in 2010. No dengue-related deaths have currently been reported, but six deaths are under investigation.”
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said dengue viruses are “transmitted to humans through the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes,” Fox News reported. According to the CDC, about one in four infected people become ill and experience symptoms including nausea, vomiting, rash, and aches and pains. Recovery takes approximately one week. About 1 in 20 infected people will develop severe dengue, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says “can cause shock, internal bleeding, and even death.”
“The Ministry and regional health authorities have made the necessary preparations for a possible outbreak,” said Christopher Tufton, Jamaica’s Minister of Health. The ministry warned locals and tourists that the Aedes aegypti mosquito “breeds in any container environment” capable of holding water, such as barrels, tires, buckets and animal feed containers.
