DE FAAKTO OUTBREAK INTELLIGENCE
13 February 2019
OUTBREAK INTELLIGENCE
DENGUE FEVER OUTBREAK JAMAICA
REPORTS FROM THE JAMAICA MINISTRY OF HEALTH & MINISTER DR. CHRISTPHER TUFTON VIA JAMAICA OBSERVER
- 6 confirmed deaths from dengue fever
- 5 deaths were in Kingston & St. Andrew
- 1 death in Portland
- Victims all under the age of 14
- 1166 suspected, presumed, or confirmed dengue cases with dates of onset in 2019
- There were 1,023 suspected and confirmed cases in 2018
Dengue Cases by Parrish
- St Catherine 313 people
- Kingston and St Andrew, with 177
- St Ann 121
- St Mary 75
- St Thomas 6
- St James 54
- Clarendon 49
2018
- 986 suspected and confirmed cases of dengue
- 13 deaths reported
- 2018 was 4.5 times higher than that reported in 2017
- Largest number of reported cases were notified by Kingston and Saint Andrew parishes
2017
- 215 cases of dengue reported
- 6 deaths reported
Increased Outbreak Measures & Mitigation
- Enhanced Vector Control (EVC) programme was extended to March 2019
- Effort to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites
- Extended opening hours at several health facilitates across the island
- The Jamaican Health Ministry has triggered the Emergency Operation Centre and the International Health Regulations Centre as well as the National Emergency Operations Centre
What is Dengue Fever?
- Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection
- Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas
What are the Symptoms of Dengue Fever?
A person infected by the dengue virus develops severe flu-like symptoms
Individuals should suspect dengue when a high fever (40°C/ 104°F) is accompanied by two of the following symptoms:
Severe headache
Pain behind the eyes
Nausea, Vomiting
Swollen glands
Muscle and joint pains
Rash
Symptoms usually last for 2-7 days, after an incubation period of 4-10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito
Severe dengue is a potentially deadly complication due to plasma leaking, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding, or organ impairment. The warning signs to look out for occur 3-7 days after the first symptoms in conjunction with a decrease in temperature (below 38°C/ 100°F) include:
Severe abdominal pain
Persistent vomiting
Rapid breathing
Bleeding gums
Blood in vomit
Fatigue, restlessness
The next 24-48 hours of the critical stage can be lethal; proper medical care is needed to avoid complications and risk of death (WHO, 2018)
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for dengue fever.
Patients should seek medical advice, rest and drink plenty of fluids. Paracetamol can be taken to bring down fever and reduce joint pains. However, aspirin or ibuprofen should not be taken since they can increase the risk of bleeding.
For severe dengue, medical care by physicians and nurses experienced with the effects and progression of the disease can frequently save lives. Maintenance of the patient’s circulating fluid volume is the central feature of such care. (WHO, 2018)
Prevention and control
The only current method of controlling or preventing dengue virus transmission is to effectively combat the vector mosquitoes. (WHO, 2018)
http://www.who.int/denguecontrol/human/en/
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) – is a more severe form, seen only in a small proportion of those infected. DHF is a stereotypic illness characterized by 3 phases; febrile phase with high continuous fever usually lasting for less than 7 days; critical phase (plasma leaking) lasting 1-2 days usually apparent when fever comes down, leading to shock if not detected and treated early; convalescence phase lasting 2-5 days with improvement of appetite, bradycardia (slow heart rate), convalescent rash (white patches in red background), often accompanied by generalized itching (more intense in palms and soles), and diuresis (increase urine output). (WHO, 2018)
Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) — Shock syndrome is a dangerous complication of dengue infection and is associated with high mortality. Severe dengue occurs as a result of secondary infection with a different virus serotype. Increased vascular permeability, together with myocardial dysfunction and dehydration, contribute to the development of shock, with resultant multiorgan failure. (WHO 2018)
Jamaica Observer
WHO https://www.who.int/csr/don/4-february-2019-dengue-jamaica/en/
WHO https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue
________________________________________________________________________________________
04 February 2019 UPDATE
OUTBREAK INTELLIGENCE
DENGUE FEVER OUTBREAK JAMAICA
The International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point of Jamaica notified WHO of an increase in dengue cases in Jamaica
The Dengue Count Jamaica-01 January though 21 January 2019
- 339 suspected and confirmed cases
- 6 deaths were reported
- Largest proportion of cases have been reported by Saint Catherine parish
- Laboratory tests have identified DENV3 as the dengue serotype currently circulating
- Cases reported to date for 2019 exceed the epidemic threshold (WHO)
This is a significant contrast to 2018 & 2017 Jamaica Dengue outbreak numbers
2018
- 986 suspected and confirmed cases of dengue
- 13 deaths reported
- 2018 was 4.5 times higher than that reported in 2017
- Largest number of reported cases were notified by Kingston and Saint Andrew parishes
2017
- 215 cases of dengue reported
- 6 deaths reported
Increased Outbreak Measures & Mitigation
- Enhanced Vector Control (EVC) programme was extended to March 2019
- Effort to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites
- Extended opening hours at several health facilitates across the island
- The Jamaican Health Ministry has triggered the Emergency Operation Centre and the International Health Regulations Centre as well as the National Emergency Operations Centre
What is Dengue Fever?
- Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness and, sometimes causing a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue. The incidence of dengue has increased 30-fold over the last 50 years. Up to 50-100 million infections are now estimated to occur annually in over 100 endemic countries, putting almost half of the world’s population at risk. (WHO, 2018)
What are the Symptoms of Dengue Fever?
A person infected by the dengue virus develops severe flu-like symptoms
Individuals should suspect dengue when a high fever (40°C/ 104°F) is accompanied by two of the following symptoms:
Severe headache
Pain behind the eyes
Nausea, Vomiting
Swollen glands
Muscle and joint pains
Rash
Symptoms usually last for 2-7 days, after an incubation period of 4-10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito
Severe dengue is a potentially deadly complication due to plasma leaking, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding, or organ impairment. The warning signs to look out for occur 3-7 days after the first symptoms in conjunction with a decrease in temperature (below 38°C/ 100°F) include:
Severe abdominal pain
Persistent vomiting
Rapid breathing
Bleeding gums
Blood in vomit
Fatigue, restlessness
The next 24-48 hours of the critical stage can be lethal; proper medical care is needed to avoid complications and risk of death (WHO, 2018)
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for dengue fever.
Patients should seek medical advice, rest and drink plenty of fluids. Paracetamol can be taken to bring down fever and reduce joint pains. However, aspirin or ibuprofen should not be taken since they can increase the risk of bleeding.
For severe dengue, medical care by physicians and nurses experienced with the effects and progression of the disease can frequently save lives. Maintenance of the patient’s circulating fluid volume is the central feature of such care. (WHO, 2018)
Prevention and control
The only current method of controlling or preventing dengue virus transmission is to effectively combat the vector mosquitoes. (WHO, 2018)
http://www.who.int/denguecontrol/human/en/
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) – is a more severe form, seen only in a small proportion of those infected. DHF is a stereotypic illness characterized by 3 phases; febrile phase with high continuous fever usually lasting for less than 7 days; critical phase (plasma leaking) lasting 1-2 days usually apparent when fever comes down, leading to shock if not detected and treated early; convalescence phase lasting 2-5 days with improvement of appetite, bradycardia (slow heart rate), convalescent rash (white patches in red background), often accompanied by generalized itching (more intense in palms and soles), and diuresis (increase urine output). (WHO, 2018)
Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) — Shock syndrome is a dangerous complication of dengue infection and is associated with high mortality. Severe dengue occurs as a result of secondary infection with a different virus serotype. Increased vascular permeability, together with myocardial dysfunction and dehydration, contribute to the development of shock, with resultant multiorgan failure. (WHO 2018)
WHO https://www.who.int/csr/don/4-february-2019-dengue-jamaica/en/
WHO https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue
_________________________________________________________________________________________
08 January 2019 UPDATE
Dengue Fever Outbreak Jamaica
The Health Minister of Jamaica reports,
2018 Dengue-related deaths
- 2 dengue confirmed deaths
- 7 dengue suspected deaths
03 January 2019
- 830 dengue cases-suspected, presumed, confirmed
01 January 2018-03 January 2019
- 23 dengue cases confirmed
Increased Outbreak Measures & Mitigation
- Enhanced Vector Control (EVC) programme was extended to March 2019
- Effort to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites
- Extended opening hours at several health facilitates across the island
- The Jamaican Health Ministry has triggered the Emergency Operation Centre and the International Health Regulations Centre as well as the National Emergency Operations Centre
What is Dengue Fever?
- Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness and, sometimes causing a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue. The incidence of dengue has increased 30-fold over the last 50 years. Up to 50-100 million infections are now estimated to occur annually in over 100 endemic countries, putting almost half of the world’s population at risk. (WHO, 2018)
What are the Symptoms of Dengue Fever?
A person infected by the dengue virus develops severe flu-like symptoms
Individuals should suspect dengue when a high fever (40°C/ 104°F) is accompanied by two of the following symptoms:
Severe headache
Pain behind the eyes
Nausea, Vomiting
Swollen glands
Muscle and joint pains
Rash
Symptoms usually last for 2-7 days, after an incubation period of 4-10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito
Severe dengue is a potentially deadly complication due to plasma leaking, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding, or organ impairment. The warning signs to look out for occur 3-7 days after the first symptoms in conjunction with a decrease in temperature (below 38°C/ 100°F) include:
Severe abdominal pain
Persistent vomiting
Rapid breathing
Bleeding gums
Blood in vomit
Fatigue, restlessness
The next 24-48 hours of the critical stage can be lethal; proper medical care is needed to avoid complications and risk of death (WHO, 2018)
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for dengue fever.
Patients should seek medical advice, rest and drink plenty of fluids. Paracetamol can be taken to bring down fever and reduce joint pains. However, aspirin or ibuprofen should not be taken since they can increase the risk of bleeding.
For severe dengue, medical care by physicians and nurses experienced with the effects and progression of the disease can frequently save lives. Maintenance of the patient’s circulating fluid volume is the central feature of such care. (WHO, 2018)
Prevention and control
The only current method of controlling or preventing dengue virus transmission is to effectively combat the vector mosquitoes. (WHO, 2018)
http://www.who.int/denguecontrol/human/en/
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) – is a more severe form, seen only in a small proportion of those infected. DHF is a stereotypic illness characterized by 3 phases; febrile phase with high continuous fever usually lasting for less than 7 days; critical phase (plasma leaking) lasting 1-2 days usually apparent when fever comes down, leading to shock if not detected and treated early; convalescence phase lasting 2-5 days with improvement of appetite, bradycardia (slow heart rate), convalescent rash (white patches in red background), often accompanied by generalized itching (more intense in palms and soles), and diuresis (increase urine output). (WHO, 2018)
Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) — Shock syndrome is a dangerous complication of dengue infection and is associated with high mortality. Severe dengue occurs as a result of secondary infection with a different virus serotype. Increased vascular permeability, together with myocardial dysfunction and dehydration, contribute to the development of shock, with resultant multiorgan failure. (WHO 2018)
WHO https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue
