Child dies in St Vincent from dengue fever

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – A 10-year-old girl has died from dengue fever, the seventh person to have fallen victim to the mosquito-borne illness.

The Ministry of Health, in a statement on Monday, said that the number of confirmed cases in the country has reached 1,617.

It said that the girl had “an underlying cardiac condition” when she was admitted to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital on November 14.

The death is the first since late October when a 30-year-old woman died as a result of dengue fever.

So far six people have died from dengue fever including a four-year-old and a nine-year-old boy.

The Ministry of Health said that there has been a consistent decrease in the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of dengue fever since epidemiological week 41, ending October 10, when 194 new cases were recorded.

“There has also been a decrease in clinically diagnosed cases of dengue fever,” the statement said, adding that the illness continues to affect all health districts, with most cases reported in persons who live in Pembroke, Kingstown, and Calliaqua.

“The Marriaqua and Chateaubelair health districts are now ranked as fourth and fifth for the number of reported cases of dengue fever. Persons in the 0-15 age group continue to account for the majority of cases, with an attack rate of 3.54% in the 5-14 age group,” the statement said.

It said that the vector control unit continues to implement an intensified integrated vector control programme.

It is urging the public to reduce mosquito breeding sites.

People are also asked to use insect repellents and mosquito nets to prevent mosquito bites and open homes to allow increased effectiveness of fogging by the vector control unit.

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