Two persons died from dengue this year; nearly 3,000 infections countrywide

Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony on Tuesday revealed that two persons died in Guyana this year after they were infected with dengue.

And in an update shared with the local press corps, the Health Minister also said 2,852 persons were infected with the disease for the year so far. Of that number, 265 persons needed hospitalisation.

Dr. Anthony’s update came as questions were raised about dengue in Guyana. Last week, he said preliminary findings suggest that Berbice siblings Vishnu Mohabeer and Arianna Mohabeer, succumbed to complications related to dengue fever.

According to him, the Health Ministry has noted a surge in dengue cases and has taken key actions to help mitigate the situation. Increased fogging is among the actions taken.

Based on the more than 11,200 tests done, a majority of the cases are concentrated in Regions One, Two, Four, Six, Nine and 10. Dr. Anthony did not say what regions the persons who died hailed from.

“There has been a decline in cases this week,” the Health Minister said however.

Last year, Guyana also experienced a surge in dengue cases. In August, the News Room reported that there were 11 dengue-related deaths for the year up to that point. Of that 11, there were at least six children who died.

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

The World Health Organization (WHO) has 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.