There has been an increase in cases of mosquito-borne disease in the Upper and Middle Mazaruni areas of Region Seven (Cuyuni- Mazaruni) and this has prompted health teams to distribute insecticide-treated nets to help safeguard people from becoming infected.
This was related by the Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony on Monday during his daily COVID-19 update.
He did not specifically state what those mosquito-borne illnesses were or which specific illnesses recorded the increase. During a previous COVID-19 update, in April, the Minister related that malaria was quite prevalent in Region Seven.
In fact, during that update, he stated, “Most of our (malaria) cases are in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine and they account for about 94 per cent of our cases… Because you have a lot of people going in from the coastland to do mining and so forth, you will find coastlanders who go into the interior where malaria is endemic, get the disease.”
Malaria, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is a life-threatening but preventable and curable disease that is caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
Furthermore, the WHO stated that the initial symptoms of malaria are fevers, headaches and chills and these can be mild and difficult to realise. Importantly, the WHO said that if malaria is not treated within 24 hours, it can progress to severe illness, often leading to death.
Cognisant of this increase in cases, the Minister said that insecticide-treated nets were distributed last week.
Adding to the concerns of increasing mosquito-borne illnesses in Region Seven, the Minister also related that three cases of dengue fever were reported in Black Bush Polder, Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne).
According to him, the regional health authorities have been monitoring these cases and have also distributed those treated nets.
“This is an ongoing process of monitoring and we will continue to do so,” Dr. Anthony said.
WATER-BORNE DISEASES
Meanwhile, during that update as well, the Minister also related that there has not been a significant outbreak of any water-borne diseases despite nationwide flooding at varying levels.
In a bid to prevent such an outbreak, he said that health teams in the various administrative regions have been engaging residents on methods of keeping their water supplies safe and how to prevent skin rashes due to unclean water.
During a press conference on Friday, Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, has reported that there has been no outbreak of flood-related diseases. He also related that there has been no reported outbreak of flood-related casualties.
