As the number of dengue infections continues to climb, Trinidad and Tobago Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh warns that the country is facing an “outbreak situation”.
Minister Deyalsingh said that the number of confirmed dengue cases—currently 825 infected and 8 deaths—is greater than in prior years.
The most recent victim of this sickness is an eight-year-old girl named Nelisha Sophia Narine, who was laid to rest following a burial service at her family’s New Grant Princes Town house on Sunday, August 18, 2024.
She was taken to the Indian Walk Health Centre on Friday and sent home with a high fever and no medicine, while her parents were informed they would have to wait five days for a dengue test.
Her parents attempted to manage her problems from there, but on Sunday, she was transported to PTDHF, where doctors advised them to proceed straight to San Fernando. Despite receiving care, the small child died on Wednesday morning at SFGH from Dengue fever.
He stated that it is already classed as a dengue outbreak because the ministry has reported more instances this year than the prior year, from 2017 to the present.
“The last time we got numbers like this was in 2014 or 2017. So we’re in an outbreak situation, but it’s difficult to forecast and foretell where it will go,” explained the Minister.
He went on to say that his team is working hard at the government level and asking individuals to do their part to save citizens, particularly youngsters, from this outbreak.
While no official announcement has been issued confirming the existence of an outbreak, the minister is inviting the public to come to Couva Hospital as soon as possible to be examined.
He highlighted, “With the setup we have at Couva this week, 176 people have already come in between Monday and Friday, which is good. A total of 16 awards were given. Make use of the facility. We have a similar facility in Sangre Grande, and one will be opened in Saint James.”
Minister Deyal Singh also reminded people to do everything possible to minimise the spread of dengue by making it harder for the Aedes aegypti mosquito to find breeding sites.
Officials are concerned about the steady increase in dengue fever cases in Trinidad and Tobago, and the health ministry and administration are taking all necessary steps to combat the disease.
