No surge in cases but Health Ministry monitoring dengue, chikungunya situation

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said Guyana has not seen a recent surge in the number of individuals affected by dengue or chikungunya, but assured citizens that local authorities continue to track and monitor cases robustly.

The Health Minister engaged the News Room on the sidelines of a recent event, highlighting several measures in place to control the mosquito population and, therefore, limit the spread of these diseases.

“We track every week to see the cases that we have. I haven’t seen any significant increase in cases.

“So, for us, we, you know, we continue to track, and as we track, we treat. So that is a normal routine thing that we have to do. So we haven’t seen anything significant,” Dr. Anthony said when asked about dengue cases in Guyana.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection common in warm, tropical climates. Its symptoms range from extremely mild (unnoticeable) to those who may require medical intervention and hospitalisation. In severe cases, fatalities can occur. There is no treatment for the infection itself, but the symptoms that a patient experiences, such as fevers, can be managed.

To control the spread of dengue locally, Minister Anthony said preventative measures such as routine fogging and the use of larvicides are already in place nationwide to reduce mosquito populations. Because mosquitoes are targeted, the Health Minister explained, the spread of other mosquito-borne illnesses like chikungunya is dealt with too.

Weeks ago, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert urging governments to strengthen surveillance and preparedness as countries in the Americas were seeing an increase in chikungunya cases.