he Ministry of Health and Wellness yesterday reported that the number of confirmed cases of Dengue Fever in the country has increased to 21.
Health officials just last week revealed that the Ministry’s National Communicable Disease Surveillance Unit and Department of Public Health teams in New Providence and Abaco were actively monitoring 16 positive cases of Dengue Fever.
Residents are advised that Dengue Fever can cause serious illness including severe dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome which happens when blood vessels become damaged and leaky and a decrease in clot-forming cells (platelets) occurs. This can lead to shock, internal bleeding, organ failure and death.
Symptoms of Dengue Fever include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, rash, aches and pains such as eye pain – typically behind the eyes, muscle, bone and joint pain.
Dengue Fever is a viral illness spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Although this mosquito can bite at any time, it is more active shortly after dawn and before dusk.
To protect oneself, people are encouraged to wear long-sleeved shirts and long trousers of light materials and stay hydrated despite the heat.
The public is further advised by the Ministry to use approved mosquito repellents containing DEET, Icaridin, or IR3535, and according to the product’s instructions.