PHILIPSBURG--Preliminary reports on the autopsy of the body of a 59-year-old man from Guana Bay show that his death on January 20 was "dengue-related."
The man was admitted to the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) Emergency Room on January 16. Collective Preventive Services (CPS) said in a press release on Tuesday that the man had not complained of fever, headache or body aches, which it said were "traditional symptoms" of dengue fever. CPS did not specify what the man's complaints or illness had been when he was admitted.
In January, 21 lab tests were carried out and four dengue cases were confirmed, of which one was fatal.
"CPS controllers have carried out inspections of the residential and surrounding areas and have identified a number of mosquito breeding places, which have been eliminated. Physicians are requested to remain attentive in the diagnosis of dengue fever," CPS said.
Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a severe, potentially deadly infection spread by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. Four different dengue viruses are known to cause DHF, which occurs when a person catches a different type of dengue virus after having been infected by another one some time before. Prior immunity to a different dengue virus type plays an important role in this severe disease.
The only way to prevent dengue virus transmission is to combat the disease-carrying mosquitoes, CPS said. CPS said that "based on the fact that reports of dengue fever in the Caribbean are prevalent," it is requesting residents to remain vigilant in executing measures to eradicate mosquito breeding places.
"The CPS request collective assistance from the community in protecting yourself, your family and your neighbour from the Aedes Agypti mosquito by means of minimising mosquito breeding places in their surroundings and close environment."
Preventive actions every household and each resident should take are removal of debris, old tires and standing clear/clean water in yards, usually the main source and breeding ground for mosquitoes, bringing about an increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases. These areas should be eliminated immediately, CPS said.
Immediately check for clear/clean standing water in roof spouts, empty drums, buckets, jars, birdbaths, boats, plant containers, saucers, paint cans and other items that can collect water around homes and businesses. Where clear/clean standing water exists, one can use a small amount of kerosene just to cover the surface as a measure to prevent mosquito breeding, or get rid of the container.
Additional information on measures to prevent mosquito breeding or to report areas of standing water and/or overgrown vegetation can be obtained from CPS at tel. 542-2078.
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