Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

A health CRISIS is looming over the island as the Ministry of Health and Environ-ment has confirmed one death associated with dengue fever, five suspected cases of the deadly dengue hemorrhagic fever, and 100 cases of leptospirosis.

In addition, the ministry on Tuesday, also identified one new case of malaria in Waterhouse, St. Andrew. This comes after 15 weeks of no new cases being reported.

The Ministry of Health said the increase in the number of cases of dengue is as a result of Hurricane Dean in August, and the heavy rains currently lashing the island.

Acting on the instruction of the ministry, prisoners at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre are being X-rayed, following the death of an inmate who was diagnosed with tuberculosis last month.

"Our active surveillance and monitoring system has shown that cases and 975 suspected cases of dengue between the months of July and September," Rudyard Spencer, the Minister of Health and Environment told reporters at a press conference yesterday.

Mr. Spencer said this was the highest number of reported cases since 1998.

Dengue fever is a viral illness, transmitted by the female Aedes Aegypti mosquito and occurs in two forms: Dengue Fever and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.

Dengue fever is marked by the onset of sudden high fever, severe headache and pain behind the eyes, muscles and joints.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a potentially deadly complication that is characterised by high fever, often with enlargement of the liver. In severe cases, circulatory failure results. There are four types of dengue - type two, one of the most severe types, has been identified in Jamaica.

Mr. Spencer urged persons with fever not to take aspirin as this may worsen bleeding.

He said the Government has approved an additional $25 million for vector control activities in the parishes of Clarendon, Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine and Portland. These are the areas where most of the cases have been found. The person who died from dengue fever lived in Linstead.

The National Health Fund has also committed to support the ministry's vector control efforts.

The Health Minister said preventing the spread of dengue fever would depend on individual householders and communities removing the breeding sites from their homes, schools, place of work and community.

As it relates to leptospirosis Mr. Spencer urged persons to use rat bates to prevent any further spread of the disease.

"In order to contain it (leptospirosis) we have launched a very serious attack on rats because we can (not) afford for our children especially to be exposed to the kinds of rats," he said.

How to treat dengue

-Inspect surroundings to identify all containers that will act as a breeding site for the Aedes aegypti mosquito

-empty all water holding containers of water that has no useful purpose

-remove all unwanted containers such as tins, bottles, cans that may be laying around the yard

-punch holes in tins and cans before they are discarded.

How is the disease (leptospirosis) spread?

-Eating foods or handling water contaminated by urine of infected animal

-Tending infected animals - dog, cows, goats, pigs.

-Bathing or wading in stagnant water frequented by animals especially after flood rains.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com

Symptoms of dengue