Horace Fisher, Gleaner Writer

The Clarendon Health Department has confirmed 20 cases of dengue fever in Clarendon.

The medical officer of health for the parish, Dr Kimilee Scarlett-Campbell, says the cases were all recorded in northern Clarendon communities including Spalding, Frankfield, Grantham, Sanguinetti, James Hill and Brandon Hill.

According to Scarlett-Campbell, uncollected garbage and the lack of potable water in the affected areas have been contributing to the outbreak.

“If you have uncollected garbage lying around the communities, there is bound to be some medical emergencies; in this case, if garbage is uncollected for weeks, mosquitoes will use it as a habitat to breed and transmit diseases,” she told The Gleaner.

“The lack of potable water is also an issue in the affected areas, because persons are rain-water harvesting and storing the water in containers. The water that the folks store in the containers is also being utilized by the mosquitoes as a habitat.”

Scarlett-Campbell said the Clarendon Health Department will be stepping up its dengue prevention programme with a comprehensive education and fogging initiative especially in the affected areas.

Health Ministry statistics indicate that since January, 472 cases of dengue fever have been reported in Jamaica.

Of the 472 cases, laboratory tests have confirmed 180.

This is an increase over the corresponding period last year when 300 cases were reported with 167 confirmed by laboratory tests.

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