Guyana’s dengue cases increasing; visit a doctor if you have a fever – Health Minister

Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 April 2024, 21:50 by Writer

The number of dengue fever cases in Guyana is rising, prompting Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony to Tuesday urge people who have a fever to go to a doctor as a precaution against the potentially deadly disease.

“If you have a fever, we are encouraging people to come to one of our facilities so that we can test you because you don’t know what is causing the fever,” he said in an update on the status of the mosquito-borne virus.

Dr Anthony said so far, two persons in Guyana have died from dengue this year.

Latest figures show that of the 11,240 tests so far this year, 2,852 were positive. Of that number 265 needed some form of hospitalisation.

He said dengue fever cases came most from Region 1 (Barima-Waini), Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Region 4 (Demerara-Mahaica), Region 6 (East Corentyne-Berbice) and Region 9 (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo).

Last year, there were 7,859 dengue cases.

The Health Minister advised Guyanese never to use aspirin if they have a fever because that drug could cause severe bleeding and other related complications if it turns out that they are diagnosed with dengue. Instead, he recommended that they use Paracetamol.

Dr Anthony announced that the Health Ministry would in the coming days be distributing nets with long-lasting insecticide to kill mosquitoes. Government, he said, would be targeting residents of Regions 1 (Barima-Waini), Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Region 8 (Potaro-Siparuni and Region 9 (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) to prevent dengue and malaria.

The Health Minister said government has invested heavily in fogging machines and chemicals to kill the mosquitoes that spread dengue. He urged Guyanese to get rid of stagnant water and ask for chemicals to place in drains.

PAHO is on record as saying that there are more than five million dengue cases in the Region of the Americas, with Brazil and Peru being the most severely affected.