La Digue worst affected by dengue |19 May 2017

La Digue island has reported the highest number of dengue cases so far this year with 95 cases. Anse Royale comes next with 74 cases followed by Baie Lazare with 63 cases.

This is revealed in a communiqué from the Public Health Authority giving an update of the dengue situation in Seychelles.

“Since the beginning of 2017 the trend is on the increase,” says the communiqué.

“This substantiates the existence of an ongoing dengue epidemic despite measures already in place,” it adds. 

Seventy nine suspected cases of dengue were reported for the week beginning May 1, 2017 alone.  This is the highest weekly number for 2017. For that week, 26 cases returned positive out of the 54 fully tested.  

From the start of the epidemic in late December 2015 to May 1, 2017 over 2792 suspected cases were reported. From the 2242 cases tested, 1050 were positive (47%).  The district of Anse Royale has recorded the most number of cases followed by Pointe Larue and English River. 

Since the start of the epidemic over 574 cases have been admitted in hospital, some with complications of bleeding.  Two deaths have been suspected to be dengue-related.

The Public Health Commissioner, Dr Jude Gedeon, has said that since the beginning of the epidemic the cases are widely distributed all over the country with the western region being the most affected followed by the southern region and inner islands. 63% of the cases were male and 60% (1632 cases) were aged between 15 and 40 years.

Dengue fever is a severe, influenza-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults. There are 4 distinct, but closely related, serotypes of the virus that cause dengue (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4). Recovery from infection by one provides lifelong immunity against that particular serotype. However, cross-immunity to the other serotypes after recovery is only partial and temporary. Subsequent infections by other serotypes increase the risk of developing severe dengue. Dengue haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication.

Infected humans are the main carriers and multipliers of the virus. The virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, Aedes Albopictus or Aedes Aegypti. The virus circulates in the blood of infected human for 2-7 days, at approximately the same time that they have a fever. There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission.

There is no specific treatment for dengue, but appropriate medical care frequently saves the lives of patients with dengue haemorrhagic fever.

At present, the only method of controlling or preventing dengue virus transmission is to combat the vector mosquitoes using environmental management and chemical methods.

As part of its measures to control this outbreak, the Ministry of Health is applying insecticides as space spraying in affected areas, providing treatment to persons infected, maintaining active surveillance and monitoring the outbreak.

Despite these measures, the outbreak is still ongoing. The ministry is intensifying its efforts to end the epidemic. Part of its strategy is to engage the community, and therefore the Ministry of Health is calling on everyone to:

1. Inspect around your home at least twice a week to check for stagnant water;

2. Remove all potential mosquito breeding sites around your homes and workplaces. These include any water holding receptacles with stagnant water;

3. Fill up water holding areas on the ground with sand, coral fill, soil etc;

4. Remove water holding vases in cemeteries, and fill those that cannot be removed with sand, and put a hole at the bottom to allow water drainage;

5. Use mosquito repellents, long sleeved shirts and blouses to prevent bites;

6. Use household insecticides to destroy flying mosquitoes, especially in dark corners of the house;

7. Sleep under mosquito nets if you have any;

8. Mosquito proof your house using shade cloth/mesh;

9. Any person with acute febrile illness of 2-7 days’ duration with 2 or more of the following: headache, retro-orbital pain, muscular pain (myalgia), joint pain (arthralgia), rash, haemorrhagic manifestations should be suspected of having dengue and should report to their local health facility for evaluation.