Dengue cases increased by 492% since January in Region 6 – data shows

Dengue cases in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) have increased by 492 per cent since the start of the year.
That is according to statistics released by the regional administration.
In January of this year, there were 80 positive cases recorded in the region, 143 in February, 204 in March, 329 in April and 474 in May; this is an increase of 492.5 per cent in positive cases recorded in May over those recorded in January.
The figures were released by Region Six Chairman David Armogan. He pointed out that dengue has been a big problem in the region.
“Mosquito infestation has been on almost for the entire year and therefore what we find is that the number of dengue cases has been increasing steadily starting from January,” the Region Six Chairman said.
According to the Chairman, in some instances, persons who were recorded as having tested positive for dengue and experienced symptoms even though the disease was not active would have gone and got tested again and were recorded as positive cases.
“All of that is also included in the current status. Once people go and test, once they are recorded positive, either IgG or IgM, it is recorded as dengue,” he said. (IgM antibodies are the first to be produced by the body in response to an infection and are found in blood and lymph fluids, while IgG antibodies are produced later, found in all body fluids, and provide long-term protection against infections, remaining for some time after a person has recovered.)
A primary dengue infection results in detectable levels of IgM antibodies by the third afebrile day after infection, which generally persists for 2-6 months. Dengue IgG antibodies appear after IgM, approximately on day seven of the fever, in the primary infection and persist for a longer time, even up to years. Secondary dengue infections are characterised by a rapid increase in IgG levels, with modest increases in IgM.
Armogan noted that more persons have been turning up to get tested and that might be one reason for a monthly rise in figures.
“People are more aware now, especially after those two children died from East Canje and it was pronounced at that time – up to now we don’t have the toxicology report – that both died of dengue – many people had begun to recognise that dengue is a very serious disease and it can kill you and so as soon as people start to get fever and as soon as people start to experience other symptoms, they go very quickly to the hospital to get tested,” Armogan pointed out. (G4)