In light of the recent rainfall from Hurricane Sandy which affected the island on Wednesday, October 24, Dr Marion Bullock DuCasse, director, Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Ministry of Health, is urging persons to be vigilant and look for and destroy mosquito-breeding sites.

"Remember that the country is experiencing an outbreak of dengue fever. In order to reduce the mosquito population, we need the assistance of members of the public to look for and destroy mosquito-breeding sites that may have been created after the passage of the hurricane. Mosquitoes can breed in anything that collects water. The rainfall would have created even more opportunity for containers to collect water and become mosquito-breeding sites," she said.

She added that persons should look for things such as old cans, tyres, flower pot saucers and anything else around their homes, schools, churches and business places that may facilitate mosquito breeding and properly dispose of them.

The Ministry of Health will continue to inspect premises where the teams will search for mosquito-breeding sites, fog and spray communities and carry out work to reduce mosquito larvae.

Jamaica is currently experiencing an outbreak of dengue fever and has recorded an increase in the number since the start of the year, with the ministry reporting a total of 2,198 suspected cases of dengue fever as at October 20, 2012, compared to 458 for the corresponding period last year, and 2,709 for the same period in 2010 which saw an outbreak.