Zeroing in on the severity of dengue, Acting Director of the Vector Control Services, Dr Reza Niles is calling on persons with symptoms to visit their doctor before it becomes deadly.
The viral infection has been on the rise locally with 11 related deaths recorded for the year, prompting heightened sensitisation within the public domain.
Appearing on the Health Matters programme this week, Dr Niles cautioned those with symptoms not to take any chances.
“Dengue can be very lethal. It can result in death. There’s something we call severe dengue where persons experience various symptoms. Some of them are bleeding, severe fatigue, abdominal tenderness, very low blood count and platelets. That would come following evaluation from a doctor. Those persons, before it becomes serious, seek your doctor’s care.”
“The minute the person notices that they have signs and symptoms, you go right to the doctor and they will make the necessary patient evaluation. It’s really unlikely for persons who are asymptomatic to become severe. In the likelihood that it happens, seek care urgently,” she underscored.
If left untreated, dengue can be fatal in a matter of hours. It is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito – the same vector that transmits Zika and Chikungunya. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, rash, nausea or vomiting. The Health Ministry has cautioned against self-medicating.
The acting Director shared, “What we’re seeing is a lot of severe cases. So, we’re advocating that persons avoid being bitten, that they take the necessary precautions, make sure that their doors are closed at a certain time, there are no mosquitoes in the home and outdoor near the home.”
Dr Niles said complementary actions on the part of the Health Ministry and citizens can effectively bring down infection numbers. Along with treatment, the Ministry has been conducting fogging exercises in all regions.
Fogging is done to kill adult mosquitoes, which are responsible for transmission of the dengue virus. She noted that the public can play its part by destroying breeding grounds, securing their spaces with nets and covering water sources, as well as using repellents.
“The fogging exercise is currently ongoing in all the regions. A lot of collaborative efforts have been done and I know a lot of people are seeing them in the streets. All we ask is that you be very receptive to them. They’re doing their job. We also ask that you collaborate with the programmes.”
On Thursday, the Ministry confirmed that there are 2169 confirmed cases of dengue in Guyana, of which 239 patients are hospitalised. To ensure the adequate prevention, diagnosis, and management of dengue, it has activated a Technical Working Group responsible for assessing, recommending, and implementing actions to mitigate this public health event.
Dengue is endemic to the Americas. The Region has recorded a significant increase in dengue cases in the last few months. They have recorded 2,102,848 cases from January to June 2023, of which 3210 were classified as severe dengue, with 876 deaths. The highest number of cases within this Region were observed in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia. (G12)
