CARPHA Urges Action Against Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Mosquito borne diseases continue to pose a serious public health threat to the Caribbean Region. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has increased reports of Dengue outbreaks with hospitalisations and deaths in some instances, and recently confirmed cases of Zika, and Chikungunya at its Medical Microbiology Laboratory. These mosquito-borne diseases can have a major impact on our way of life and our vital tourist industry on which most of our islands depend. “The Region of the Americas has seen a two-hundred-fold increase in suspected Dengue cases in the first half of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. Member States are encouraged to remain vigilant. It is crucial that surveillance, prevention and control measures are boosted to reduce the transmission of arboviruses in the Caribbean,” stated Dr. Lisa Indar, Ad Interim Executive Director at CARPHA. Dengue is known to cause outbreaks every three to five years. The Region has seen outbreaks of Chikungunya and Zika virus infections that challenged public health systems in virtually every country in our Region. Dr. Horace Cox, Assistant Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, and Head Vector Borne Diseases at CARPHA: “These viral infections are transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito – a...