Rise in dengue cases not alarming – Health Minister

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton on Monday stated that while there appears to be a rise in dengue fever, its manifestation is not alarming for the Ministry.

Recently, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) recorded 303 confirmed cases of dengue in Guyana, as of the first week in August – which is a huge increase from the 142 probable cases in 2015.

However, when Dr Norton was asked about the rise in the mosquito-borne virus, he stated that one of the reasons for the hike was because patients were either not taking their medications, or not seeking help from healthcare facilities. In many of these cases, he said, the virus is transmitted from the infected person to a mosquito which bites them and it would in turn bite another person and infect them.

“CARPHA is a reputable institution and I accept their statistics. But this is not only a Ministry of Public Health problem, the people also have their part to play,” Norton said.

“Patients need to take their pills or get themselves tested when they have the signs or the symptoms,” he added, stating that the Ministry has upped its game in educating and creating awareness on the mosquito which carries the virus. He noted that the Ministry, through the Vector Control Services, has continued its fogging exercises and donation of treated bed nets.

Of late, reports of dengue have been eclipsed by the emergence of Chikungunya and Zika, all of which are transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The symptoms of all three of the viruses are identical, making it difficult to differentiate. The symptoms include fever, rash, headache, muscle and joint pain.

So far, there have been 5375 reported cases of Chikungunya, with 264 confirmed cases, and 35 confirmed cases of Zika in Guyana.