The Virgin Islands Department of Health on Friday issued a reminder to residents that dengue fever, which is present year-round in the Caribbean, usually increases during the hurricane season, which runs annually from Saturday through November.
The increase in transmission of the dengue virus is caused by increased rains that make areas around homes and businesses a haven for mosquito breeding, the DOH news release said.
Dengue is caused by viruses which are transmitted by the female Aedes Aegypti, a small black mosquito with white stripes on its legs that lives in and around homes. It bites during the day and lays eggs in containers that hold water around where people live. These include old tires, roof gutters, plant containers, empty drums, certain toys and even food containers for animals.
Symptoms of dengue, which can be confused with the flu, include fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, joint pain, body aches and rash. There is no cure for dengue, but people who feel ill should seek immediate medical care as necessary, drink plenty of liquids and get plenty of rest. Some people with dengue also develop warning signs such as severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding of the nose or gums, lethargy, pale and cold skin, or difficulty breathing.
These warning signs may indicate that the patient has severe disease and should be treated urgently.
Dr. Marc Jerome, district health officer, said people who are sick with dengue should not take aspirin and ibuprofen as this could increase the chances of bleeding in a patient with dengue. Also patients with dengue should try to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes so that they do not transmit the dengue virus to mosquitoes that could then bite and infect others.
“We also want residents to be aware that the only way to determine if a person has dengue is by laboratory testing done on a blood sample,” he said.
Health Commissioner Darice Plaskett urged all health care providers to report all suspected cases of dengue to the Department of Health, as mandated by law.
“This can be done via completion of the Notification of Infectious Disease Form, which can be found under Forms and Applications on www.healthvi.org. Completed forms can be submitted via confidential fax at 1-340-713-1508,” Plaskett said.
DOH, through surveillance by its epidemiology and public health preparedness programs and in concert with the Environmental Health Division, has in the past alerted residents and visitors to begin taking precautions to prevent contracting the disease once dengue is in the community. However, this year is different from previous years because dengue continued to be reported to the department from January from May, which are months when the number of dengue cases is usually low. Because it is known that dengue cases can and do continue to occur beyond the traditional, rainy dengue season, the department asked residents to take precautions against dengue year-round.
The department will issue advisories and schedule routine larviciding. Larviciding is environmentally friendly and involves placing mosquito abatement chemicals in standing water that cannot be drained to kill off mosquito larvae, which are young mosquitoes that live in water, to prevent them from maturing into flying adult mosquitoes.
Francine Lang, director of the department’s Public Health Preparedness Program, said after heavy rains residents should scour yards, businesses and around the community because anything that holds water can produce mosquitoes.
“While there is no cure for dengue, residents should follow these tips to protect themselves, their families and the community as a whole,” she said.
Dengue Prevention Tips
– Avoid mosquito bites by closing windows and doors without screens; repair or install screens.
– Wear clothing that protects you from mosquito bites (long sleeves, long pants, closed shoes, hats).
– Apply insect repellent only to exposed skin or clothing, follow product instructions carefully. Do not use repellents on babies less than 2 months of age.
– Protect infants: cover cribs, strollers and baby carriers with cotton mosquito netting at all times, day and night, both inside and outside of your home. Dress babies in loose cotton clothing that covers arms and legs.
– Empty water out of old drums, tires, plants in water, plastic containers and other items that are not being used. Turn outdoor containers upside down when not in use to prevent water collection or drain them weekly.
– Make sure your cistern is tightly covered and that the outflow pipe is covered with a screen or mesh so that mosquitoes cannot get inside and lay eggs.
– Repair broken septic tanks and cover vent pipes with wire mesh.
Residents can contact the Environmental Health Division at 1-340-773-1311 ext. 3109 on St. Croix and 1-340-715-5111 in the St. Thomas-St. John-Water Island district to report standing pools of water near in the community that cannot be emptied by residents.