Beware! Protect yourself against swine flu and other viral infections: Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment (MOHWE) has issued a public health advisory to take all the necessary precautionary measures to protect themselves from infectious diseases such as COVID-19, Dengue Fever, Leptospirosis and influenza viruses including Influenza A – H1NI (swine flu).

The surveillance committee within the MOHWE is reporting that during the period December 25, 2023 – January 6, 2024 there was a notable increase in the Influenza A – H1NI (swine flu) cases in SVG with thirty- two (32) laboratory confirmed cases.

As of January 6, 2024, there was a total of nine thousand, eight hundred and four (9,804) confirmed cases of SARS-COV2 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) since the outbreak in 2021, of which two hundred and forty- three (243) cases were confirmed in 2023, with two (2) reported so far in 2024. Influenza (flu) and COVID-19 are highly contagious viral infections of the respiratory tract that can cause severe illness with life-threatening complications, typically affecting people of all ages and can spread when an infected person coughs and or sneezes. Some symptoms are:

• high fever (38°C or more)

• dry cough

• sore throat

• body aches and fatigue.

Other symptoms include chills, aches behind the eyes, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea. In 2023, SVG recorded seventeen (17) cases of Dengue Fever and twenty (20) cases of Leptospirosis. These vector borne diseases did not exceed the normal levels and do not constitute an outbreak.

Dengue Fever is a mosquito borne viral illness that is caused by the bite of an infected mosquito. Persons are encouraged to seek early care from their health care providers if they are experiencing fever accompanied with nausea, vomiting, rash or aches and pains (eye pain, typically behind the eyes, muscle, joint, or bone pain). Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease, spread through contaminated fluids from rodents such as rats and mongooses, that affect humans and animals. Symptoms associated with Leptospirosis include, high fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and rash. Some infected persons, however, may have no symptoms at all. The Ministry of Health wishes to advise anyone experiencing any of these signs and symptoms to seek medical attention from your district health care team or their private healthcare provider.

Also testing for influenza, COVID-19, Dengue and Leptospirosis are available in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Strong adherence to and compliance with the treatment protocols given and any other precautionary measures are advised at this time.