Dengue fever confirmed in Cayman

Friday,  December 9, 2005

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: A case of dengue fever has been confirmed in Grand Cayman, and the Public Health Department, in conjunction with the Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU) and the Department of Environmental Health (DEH), is currently closely monitoring the situation in the Cayman Islands, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kiran Kumar said.

Dr. Kumar stressed that dengue fever is not endemic to Cayman, and the Islands annually see only two to three imported dengue cases per year. Furthermore, the mosquitoes known to transmit the disease, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, have a very low density locally.

Explaining the most recent confirmed case, Dr. Kumar said local transmission most likely took place when a returning resident or visitor from a dengue endemic country, who contracted the disease there, was bitten by a mosquito on the Islands. (This person might only have had mild symptoms and may or may not have been diagnosed.) The same mosquito that had bitten the infected person then bit a healthy person here and thus transmitted the disease. 

“While this case was under investigation, MRCU was informed of this suspected incident and took appropriate control measures by reducing mosquito breeding sites and increasing chemical control methods against the mosquito larval stages and adult stage. There were no more locally transmitted cases reported and all doctors and health care workers were advised to remain vigilant,” Dr. Kumar added.

Reiterating that the MRCU is stepping up their mosquito surveillance and control operations, the MRCU Director Dr. Bill Petrie advises residents to assist their efforts by eliminating all potential mosquito breeding sites in their yards, for example stagnant water in pans, tires, buckets, coconut shells and derelict vehicles. 

The Public Health Department also issued an advisory to people travelling to known dengue endemic countries to use a repellent such as Off! as much as possible, wear protective clothing limiting skin exposure, use air conditioning and only open screened windows and doors, and reduce outdoor activities during early dawn and dusk to reduce the risk of being infected.

Dengue Fever is caused by any one of four closely related viruses (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, or DEN-4). 

Transmission: The viruses are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. Symptoms:

• High fever

• Severe headache

• Backache

• Joint pains

• Nausea and vomiting

• Eye pain

• Rash

Treatment: There is no vaccine or specific medication to treat dengue infection, and patients are usually treated with pain medications.

Countries in our region who reported having dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever:

Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. 

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