Trinidad and Tobago: Alarming Dengue fever surge among Youth

Trinidad and Tobago: Minister of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh, in a news conference at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital on July 25, heightened concerns for those aged six to 20 years old, who are more susceptible to dengue fever.

Minister Deyalsingh, who contracted the disease himself, expressed empathy for persons affected and called for improved preventive practices. He shared statistics on the number of reported cases in different age groups.

It was cited that the six to 20 years age range made up for 78 percent of all cases, with children between the ages of 11 to 15 at the highest risk. Children between the ages of six to ten and 16 to 20 were also to be considered at risk.

While he stated that the scientific rationale was still not completely known on why dengue affected younger people more. The Minister further explained that children and the elderly suffer much more from severe or hemorrhagic dengue because, in children, the immune system is not yet developed, while it has weakened in the elderly with co-morbidities.

He said the Ministry has worked to protect pregnant women and their unborn children from dengue, zika, and chikungunya. It educates expectant mothers through its antenatal clinics, where 93 percent of pregnant women access health care services. The ministry now advises obstetricians and gynaecologists in the private sector to step in and have the remaining seven percent of pregnant women educated on these health risks.

The Health Promotion Manager at the South-West Regional Health Authority, Dr Sandi Arthur, said that while dengue fever had not been associated with birth defects, pregnant women could suffer serious consequences from contracting the disease that can affect the outcome of their pregnancy.

Head of the Accident and Emergency department at SWRHA, Dr Reeta Moonesar, on the other hand, assured that hospitals are ready to treat dengue cases even with a rise in dengue infections reported at 450 to 509. She outlined some of the symptoms of dengue which include fever, muscle pain, and rashes, and advised hydration and rest as primary treatments while cautioning against medications like aspirin that can make these symptoms worse.

Deyalsingh dismissed public claims relating to the number of dengue cases and reminded that dengue has been endemic in Trinidad and Tobago since 1981. He communicated with the public that this Aedes aegypti mosquito breeds in clear stagnant water, and thus he advised persons to take necessary precautions to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes.

Finally, the Minister of Health noted that, as part of its aggressive efforts to stop the spread of dengue fever, the Ministry was focusing its efforts on the counties of Victoria, St. Patrick, and Caroni, where most of the cases have been reported.