The Ministry of Health has confirmed one dengue death... However, doctors are concerned about this figure... Among the medical fraternity the chatter is that there have been at least 30 dengue related deaths

Ban the mosquito from your property

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GOVERNMENT announced Friday that Pan-American Health Organisation -- PAHO -- personnel have been in the Bahamas for the past two weeks to advise on the control and eventual elimination of the dengue-bearing mosquito.

A PAHO representative also confirmed that in the past few weeks there has been a decline in the number of dengue reported cases.

The Ministry of Health has also confirmed one dengue death. A spokesman said it is now awaiting the results of two other cases before it can say with certainty whether a mosquito bite was the cause.

However, doctors are concerned about these figures. Among the medical fraternity the chatter is that there have been at least 30 dengue related deaths. Many doctors are satisfied that dengue is either the direct cause of these deaths, or the underlying spark that triggered a flare up in a pre-existing illness, resulting in death.

We were told of a recent case of a woman, who was reported to have either died in her doctor's office or become very ill there. She was so ill that resuscitation was necessary. When examined it was discovered that her blood pressure was not only very low, but her platelet count was nearing zero. A normal platelet count is 150 and above. Several doctors are satisfied that dengue caused her death.

Dr Delon Brennen, deputy chief medical officer, said last week that 10 confirmed dengue haemorrhagic fever cases have been reported in the Bahamas. This is by far the most serious strain of the disease and can be fatal. It is accompanied by massive internal bleeding and usually occurs after a person, who has been previously infected by one strain of the virus, is bitten again, becoming infected by another strain. This is serious and can cause death. This is the first time that the Bahamas has had a dengue outbreak of epidemic proportions. However, it is common in other Caribbean countries. Presently there are about 10 Caribbean countries fighting the outbreak.

A couple who lived in Trinidad for a number of years said that twice weekly every year a large truck drove slowly down their road spraying -- they did not know what for, but now presume it was for dengue. A couple of times a year, a crop duster fogged the whole island from the air.

It has been suggested that aerial spraying should be done over the lakes and all the wooded mangrove areas on the western end of New Providence. A Bahamian reported that there is a lot of stagnant water in the Sandyport area that could be a threat to residents.

PAHO also advised government to increase fogging to twice a day.

However, it was the belief of someone from another dengue-plague Caribbean country that spraying is just a psychological band-aid that makes people feel that something is being done. He hadn't much faith in spraying alone, believing the only way to eliminate the mosquito was for every resident in the Bahamas to remove all breeding areas on their property. Bahamians have to take responsibility for their own area and if each person did that the whole island would be clean. For a start all standing water, no matter how small, must be removed. All property has to be regularly maintained to cut down all tall grass, undergrowth and shrubbery. On the Eastern Road yesterday morning -- Sunday, no less, although a government minister declared last week that no one works on Sunday -- several men were hard at work raking up the debris from Hurricane Irene, bagging the leaves and branches, ready for pick-up by garbage collectors.

Derelict vehicles, old car tyres and anything that can collect water has to be removed. Unused swimming pools have to be emptied and any water that collects, for example in tanks, should be treated with chlorine/bleach. Government inspectors will have to make certain that slum areas are cleaned and all water removed.

Education is also important and government has already started a "Fight the Bite" campaign, which will be taken to the schools and into the communities. In other words, Bahamians have to clean up their island if they want to rid themselves of the deadly bite. They have to make certain that no mosquito is multiplying in their yard.

"In the long run," said Dr Robert Lee, health disease adviser, "government has to ensure a continuous water supply to all houses to prevent people from collecting water in their backyards."

Heath Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said that the "Fight the Bite" campaign will "inform people on how they can best assist the government in this fight.

"We cannot do this alone," he said. "We need the public's support. Fogging will only help if people do what they are supposed to around their homes. It only takes seven days for an egg to hatch into a full breeding adult. So we are working along with the Department of Environment, Bahamas Waste and Rotary to pass out leaflets and hold seminars so the public can be best informed on how they can help."

September 12, 2011

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