The Caribbean’s public health agency, CARPHA, is warning of a potential region-wide outbreak of the dengue virus.
An outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease began in Jamaica in 2018 and authorities suspect there were 17 deaths attributed to the virus.
Since the New Year, 174 cases have been reported with five deaths reported this year up to January 17, according to Jamaica’s chief medical officer Dr Jacqueline Bissasor-McKenzie.
CARPHA head, James Hospedales, said action needed to be taken immediately: "We all need to clean up our surroundings," he said.
"The two most important things to manage mosquito populations in our Caribbean countries are to manage water storage drums and tanks, and properly dispose of used vehicle tires to prevent mosquitoes breeding."
CARPHA said the last major regional outbreak of dengue occurred a decade ago, although the Caribbean has faced other mosquito-borne outbreaks Chikungunya and Zika since then.
Dengue produces flu-like symptoms such as high fever, headaches, and vomiting and can prove fatal in severe cases.
CARPHA is calling on governments across the region to prepare for a wider outbreak and set up enhanced vector control measures.
Bissasor-McKenzie said: "I think that the message from CARPHA is that there is no room to be complacent."
