Dengue scare

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Ministry of Health is reporting six suspected cases of dengue in the parish of Portland.Chief public health inspector for the parish, Caram Ramtulla, said the cases had not been confirmed as the mosquito-borne disease because laboratory tests had not yet been completed. Ramtulla said more time was needed for the medical laboratory to accurately diagnose the six cases.“Until lab testings are concluded and a confirmation is made, all six cases are being treated as suspicious,” he said.“We at the Ministry of Health have intensified our programmes to deal with the dengue virus and all areas where the suspected cases have derived from will be treated.”Ramtulla said the six suspected cases were scattered through communities across the parish including Drapers, San San and Port Antonio.But while a dengue alert has been issued islandwide, Ramtulla also pointed out that the ministry of health had not lost focus on the treatment of malaria, which is also a mosquito-borne disease and still posed a threat to locals.“While cases of dengue appear to be on the rise nationally, we at the Ministry of Health have not retired our efforts as it relates to malaria,” he said. (Jamaica Gleaner)