BARBADOS HAS RECORDED 380 leptospirosis cases since 1999, with only 19 resultant deaths, the most recent being an elderly woman in February.
Principal environmental health officer of St Philip Polyclinic, Maurice Gaskin, and senior environmental health officer at the David Thompson Health Complex, Richard Bourne, revealed these figures yesterday when they presented the Central Bank Of Barbados/University Of The West Indies Lunchtime Lecture at the Grand Salle. They spoke on Understanding The Population Dynamics Of Barbados Rats.
Gaskin added that one person died from hantavirus – another disease transmitted by rats and mice. He said it was contracted in Europe and the strain in the Caribbean was mild.
While noting that there were more rodents in Barbados than people, given the rate at which the rats and mice bred and multiplied, Gaskin spoke of the need to control their population by either removing the feeding opportunities or killing them. (LK)
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