Dengue cases confirmed by officials

(CNS): Some two months after tests were submitted to the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) in Trinidad, health officials have now confirmed three suspect cases of dengue fever. The Heath Services Authority said that the results were received late yesterday (11 March) from CAREC showing that three Cayman Islands residents, who became ill in January, did indeed have dengue type 2 and had contracted the virus in the Cayman Islands. However, the Medical Officer of Health has stated that there have been no other cases reported.

“We are glad to say that those three persons had recovered by late January, and equally glad to say there are no more suspected dengue cases in the Cayman Islands,” said Dr Kiran Kumar.  

Dengue fever is caused by a virus, transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected aedes aegyptii mosquito. Dr Kumar explained that a chain of events likely caused the local cases. Visitors from countries with dengue, or residents who returned home from those countries, could have contracted mild, undiagnosed cases of the illness. Mosquitoes here probably picked up the virus, and then transferred it to the three local persons, who later tested positive for dengue.

Despite the fact that there are no other suspected cases in Cayman, Dr Kumar noted that anti-mosquito measures are continuing, led by staff from the Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MCRU), and the Department of Environmental Health (DEH).  Both public and private health practitioners are being vigilant in monitoring for dengue.

“If we encounter a suspected case, we again will send samples to CAREC for testing,” he said.

Dengue symptoms include high fever; severe headache; backache; joint and eye pain; nausea and vomiting; and rash. Most people recover without any complications, using pain relievers and bed rest. Dr. Kumar added that once the patient has developed a fever, the infectious period lasts for only one week.

Although Public Health officials expected the test results in early February, they were received only yesterday. The samples initially were sent to CAREC, which then sent the samples to the Centres for Disease Control in Puerto Rico for confirmation. However, the CDC lab was extremely busy because of an outbreak of dengue there.

To reduce the aedes aegyptii population in Cayman, the public is urged to clear yards of containers that can hold water, as these are favourite breeding sites.

Dr William Petrie of the MRCU recently confirmed that the mosquito which can carry dengue fever is not impacted by aerial spraying as it does not live in the swamp or brackish areas but in more urban areas in yards and gardens hence the best line of defence against this pest is for property owners to eliminate all possible places for stagnant water to collect.

For more advice on mosquito control, contact MRCU on 949-2557 in Grand Cayman, or 948-2223 on Cayman Brac; and DEH on 949-6696 in Grand Cayman, or 948-2321 in Cayman Brac.