The Ministry of Health say it will be focusing on unplanned settlements and communities where dengue cases have been identified as it intensifies its response to the outbreak.

On Thursday, the ministry declared a dengue outbreak noting that there was a rapid increase in both the clinically suspected cases of dengue and laboratory confirmed cases.

Since then, it has convened the National Dengue Technical Working Group; activated the Emergency Operating Centre at King Street; and intensified the vector control field activities to search for and destroy mosquito larvae.

The ministry says over the past two weeks there have also been efforts to increase the awareness about the increase of the aedes aegypti dengue virus carrying mosquito.

It says all parishes have been engaged in vector control activities, prioritizing the communities with confirmed cases and unplanned settlements.

It says intense mosquito control activities were conducted this past weekend particularly in Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine and Manchester.

Meanwhile, the Ministry continues to appeal to the public to search for and destroy mosquito breeding sites in and around their homes workplaces and communities.

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