‘200-fold’ increase in suspected dengue fever cases – CARPHA

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has stressed the need for the region to mobilize in the fight against vector borne diseases as global data points to an increase in suspected cases of dengue.

In a July 26 regional media briefing on its Public Health Emergency Response and Surveillance from Port-of-Spain CARPHA’s Acting Director Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division, Dr Horace Cox said for the first six months of 2024, global suspected cases of dengue have increased 200-fold. An active hurricane season, Dr Cox explained, is one of the factors which has led to the surge in cases.

“This was sort of forewarned at the beginning of the year. We understood due to the climatic changes … it is likely that cases in 2024 would likely surpass cases in 2023. What we’ve seen from the data reported so far globally is that you have about a 200 fold increase on suspected dengue cases in 2024 as of the first six months, compared to a similar period in 2023.”

Further explaining the increase, Dr Cox explained,

“It is 200 times the number of suspected cases that we had last year – more at a global level – compared to what we have this year.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had predicted that 2024 will be an active hurricane season and just one month in, Hurricane Beryl, a major category four system lashed the windwards islands causing millions of dollars in infrastructural damage and resulting in the death of six people in the Southern Grenadines.

“.. add that to what’s happening with Hurricane Beryl, we could understand how impactful it could be if we don’t really mobilize an effective response in time. So just wanted to flag that some of what we’re seeing happening at the global level, as well as the regional level, it is tied to the climatic change that we’ve been noting.”

Dr Cox said the onus is on relevant ministries in countries across the region to ensure that breeding sites are being properly managed at the community level.

He also said an increase in cases can lead to more hospitalizations and result in deaths.

“We’ve seen spikes in confirmed cases as well, as well as hospitalization. Once you have more confirmed cases, you’ll find all the other things happening as well. You’ll find more persons progressing to stages of complication, meaning that you’ll have more cases of hospitalizations as well as deaths. Unfortunately, perhaps what I could confirm also is that, based on the data we’ve been looking at, not only regionally, sub regionally, but also internationally, we’ve seen a concomitant rise also in deaths.”

Today, the Ministry of Health and Wellness in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) released a notice advising the public to follow and adhere to all the basic precautionary measures to prevent the spread of vector borne diseases.