PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Trinidad and Tobago health authorities Friday said the country has recorded more than 200 cases of dengue since the start of the year, but downplayed suggestions of an outbreak of the virus here.
Technical Director, Epidemiology at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Avery Hinds, told a news conference that “at this point pending the next batch update from the laboratory, we are still at 229 confirmed cases and two confirmed deaths.
“We do not have hospitalisation figures. We just know that the hospitals have indicated that they are seeing more of these cases, we have taken note of that and this is part of the reason we are encouraging the population to take note of the symptoms, to be aware of the warning signs in particular and to seek care when they are feeling unwell.”
Chief Medical officer, Dr. Roshan Parasram, told reporters that in different parts of the country there are different levels of patients being seen.
He said while there has been an increase in dengue cases in the Siparia , Victoria and Caroni counties “for the last month of so” and that he has spoken to all chiefs of staff of the hospital and the other institutions are saying “there are not a large number of cases coming to them.
“Over the last two weeks there would have been a slight increase at those arears but the San Fernando Hospital and the Point Fortin Hospital are seeing a greater number of cases over the last two weeks or so, but that trend started at the beginning of the rainy season…which is the beginning of May to the end of June”.
He said in terms of viral illnesses, inclusive of dengue, in San Fernando, south of here, the cases were described as “insignificant” with 15 per cent, with the rest of them being the normal chronic diseases ranging from cardiac disease to complication from diabetes. He noted that San Fernando and Point Fortin health facilities account for at least 40 per cent of the country in terms of people.
“So it is not overwhelming in terms of viral numbers, but they are seeing in the southern counties….including Tobago which said up to this morning that they are not seeing a significant increase in that regard as well”.
Health Minister Terrance Deyalsingh said the simple message to the population is ‘to focus on source reduction in your homes, inside your homes, around your homes and with your neighbours wherever there is clear, clean standing still water, which is the principal breeding sites for the Aedes species mosquito…
Dengue viruses are spread to people through the bites of infected Aedes species mosquitoes. They are also the same types of mosquitoes that spread Zika and chikungunya viruses.
The news conference on Friday came amid media and other reports of an increase in deaths and illness linked to the dengue virus and Deyalsingh told reporters it was unfortunate that people were playing politics with the situation.
He recalled the similar instances linked to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic where persons were being urged not to take the vaccine, saying “these irresponsible people and some (Regional) corporations in an effort to gain political mileage are encouraging their burgesses to risk their lives by plating cheap politics”.
He said these burgesses, which are mainly opposition controlled ones, are buying inferior products, as well as not providing adequate protective gear for their workers involved in the dengue eradication exercise.
“What you have going on is a particular corporation in south Trinidad…led by their political directorate to see this as a political opportunity and they are putting their burgesses at risk”.
He said as a result the practices being employed the ecosystem in the area is also being destroyed.
“They are not wearing respirators, and I am not talking about a mask,…I am seeing them not using gloves, skin exposed. Why are these corporations being irresponsible? I don’t advise it and I am asking these irresponsible politicians to simply stop it,” Deyalsingh said.
