Fewer dengue cases in this year's outbreak - health ministry

The Health Ministry is reporting that since the Dengue Fever outbreak this year 2,198 suspected cases were recorded up to late October.

However, the ministry says this is significantly less than the 2,709 suspected cases reported over the corresponding period in the 2010, the last time the country experienced a Dengue outbreak.

Some 458 suspected cases were reported over the corresponding period last year.

Dengue fever is transmitted through the bite of an aedes aegypti mosquito that is infected and the health ministry says some of the symptoms include pain behind the eyes, joint and muscle pain, weakness, fever and possibly a rash.

Director of Emergency, Disaster Management in the Ministry, Dr Marion Bullock-DuCasse says persons should protect themselves from mosquito bites both in the daytime and at nights.

Dr Bullock-Ducasse says persons with symptoms of dengue fever should not take aspirin or any other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug, but can use paracetamol for the pain.

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