Public meetings scheduled to address rising mosquito population

The Public and Environmental Health departments announced they are hosting meetings over the weekend as they pool heads together to reduce mosquito breeding.

The departments will be at the Francis Lettsome Primary School from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday the 29th to discuss understanding and preventing mosquito-borne diseases, mosquito prevention and control measures, and the importance of community involvement in vector control.

The health officials will be seeking collaborations with the Sea Cow’s Bay, East End, Lower Estate, Huntum’s Ghut, Purcell and Baugher’s Bay communities to help provide ideas and tools to manage the vector situation that continues to plague these communities.

According to Chief Environmental Health Officer Lionel Michael, “We want to take action at the community level to reduce mosquito breeding and mosquito breeding sites. We will be coming into communities with high mosquito indices to see how we can work together to reduce vector issues within those communities.”

Additionally, National Epidemiologist Harmonie Brewley-Massiah lamented her concern for the rise in Dengue Fever. She also mentioned that reducing the mosquito numbers are crucial in preventing it.

“We are particularly concerned about Dengue Fever right now as the numbers continue to rise,” She said.

In August this year, the Ministry of Health advised the public of the rise in Dengue Fever cases including severe cases requiring hospitalisation. While the exact recorded numbers were not disclosed, Brewley-Massiah stated the number was below the epidemic threshold.

She also added that the situation is closely monitored by the Surveillance and Vector Unit.

Meanwhile, Entomologist Camille White has indicated that, “each residential assessment of locally affected persons has identified multiple breeding sites positive for the larvae or pupae of Aedes mosquitoes. Breeding sites were mainly in containers like barrels, buckets, tyres, plant pots and gallon bottles.”

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes Aegypti and Albopictus mosquitoes, both of which are endemic to the Virgin Islands.

Symptoms include fever, severe headache, eye pain, nausea, vomiting, rash, joint and body aches, and, in severe cases, bleeding. Symptoms typically last two to seven days, and although severe and life-threatening illness can occur, most people recover within one to two weeks.

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