Life
Jamaica stepping up efforts to combat dengue fever
Similar battles are being fought in other parts of the region, including the Dominican Republic and the U.S. island of Puerto Rico, where earlier this week the health department declared an epidemic after nearly 5,000 cases and at least six deaths were reported for 2012.
Dengue victims suffer symptoms like headaches, cramps and severe joint and muscle pain. Most recover after a week, but a severe hemorrhagic form can be fatal. There is no vaccination or cure for dengue, which is also known as “break-bone fever” because of the pain it causes.
Fenton warned that problem in Jamaica could worsen as the rainy season advances. Dengue cases usually flare up from August through December.
“We expect that in the coming weeks there may be even more adult mosquitoes given the recent rains,” Fenton said.
The tropical virus was once thought to have been nearly eliminated from the region, but it has steadily gained strength in Latin America and the Caribbean since the early 1980s.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
