Grenada: Dengue fever outbreak

Event

An abnormally high rate of dengue fever cases, a mosquito-borne disease endemic to Grenada, has been reported in 2018. A total of 107 clinically confirmed cases were detected January through May on the island. To compare, only 45 cases were reported in all of 2017, and 15 in 2016.

Context

Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rashes. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

It should be noted that other mosquito-borne diseases may be present in Grenada, including chikungunya and the Zika virus.

Advice

Individuals in Grenada are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites - e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito-netting or in an air conditioned room - and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds in and around their residences (small pockets of fresh water, such as rain water that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).