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As the island experiences increased rainfall, the Ministry of Health & Wellness is reminding members of the public to expect an increase in the breeding of mosquitoes, especially those that carry disease such as the Aedes aegypti mosquito, carriers of the dengue virus.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie noted that, “It is important for members of the public to play their part to prevent a possible increase in the transmission of dengue by searching for and destroying all potential mosquito-breeding sites in and around their surrounding”.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito breeds in any containerized environment; that is in anything that can hold water. Some of the common breeding sites for the Aedes aaegypti mosquito are drums, tyres, buckets, and animal feeding containers. Members of the public are encouraged to search their surroundings at home and work at least once per week to ensure there is no Aedes aegypti breeding. This is the best strategy to mitigate against a possible outbreak of dengue later in the year.
The public is also being encouraged to take protective action to reduce their contact with mosquitoes.
“Jamaica’s, as with rest of the Caribbean, high dengue transmission period coincides with the hurricane season annually. In anticipation of that, the Ministry will activate an enhanced public education programme, home inspections and the destruction of breeding sites by vector control workers, and island-wide fogging by the parish health departments,” added Dr. McKenzie.
There are no confirmed cases of dengue thus far for 2023 and persons may contact their Parish Health Department or the Ministry of Health & Wellness at 888-ONE-LOVE (888-663-5683) with any reports or concerns.