7th dengue case identified as local transmission

(CNS): Public health officials have now confirmed that results so far from the 32 recent suspected cases of Dengue fever under investigation by the Health Service Authority seven of the victims contracted the mosquito borne disease locally.  A further eight cases had travel history to endemic countries where they are believed to have picked up the disease. In five cases the people were ill enough to be admitted to hospital, three other admissions are awaiting results and two patients believed to have dengue were found to be negative.With Dengue at epidemic levels in other parts of the region, the MCRU is working flat out to keep levels of the aedes aegypti down in particular West Bay where all of those who have caught the disease locally lived.

However, officials are hammering home the message for people to do what they can to protect themselves from the disease by wearing repellent staying indoors during the peak times such as sunrise and sunset, preventing water collection in empty vessels in local yards such as buckets, coconut shells, wheel barrows, flower pot saucers, trash containers, empty bottles and tyres.

Dengue fever is an acute illness, caused by a virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, joint pains, pain behind the eyes, and rash. Some cases can be very mild, while others can show disorders in blood clotting, which can result in internal bleeding. This is the severe form of dengue, also called the haemorrhagic form. The haemorrhagic dengue fever is associated with loss of appetite, vomiting, high fever, headache and abdominal pain.