Two children die after infected with dengue

The two children, who were receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital after being infected with dengue, passed away.

This was confirmed by Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony on Sunday.

He, however, noted that no other children are receiving critical care after being infected with dengue.

The News Room understands that one of the two children who died was a primary school pupil from Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara). He spent five days in the ICU before passing away on Saturday morning.

The children who died were nine and 11 years old.

The News Room first learnt that several children were receiving treatment for dengue fever at the Georgetown Public Hospital, including the two who were in the ICU.

In recent weeks, Guyana and other countries across the Americas recorded a substantial increase in the number of infections.

Based on official statistics, at least 3,453 people in Guyana were infected with dengue this year. And of that amount, about 2,169 cases are still considered active; this means, they may be experiencing symptoms associated with dengue.

Comparatively, Guyana usually grapples with an average of about 80 cases weekly.

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony had told the News Room that local authorities have been fogging all areas to prevent people from being bitten by mosquitos. Abate, a substance used to kill mosquito larvae, is also being distributed.

Further, the Health Minister said there has been a focus on increasing testing. If detected early, persons can get the treatment they need.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease and its symptoms include high fevers, head and body aches and nausea.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said these increased infections are, in part, linked to global warming. Increased temperatures are said to be conducive for the breeding of the Aedes aegypti mosquito which spreads the disease and thrives in stagnant water.