PAHO sounds disease alarm

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has highlighted alarming increases in dengue, Oropouche, and avian influenza (H5N1), also known as bird flu, over the past year in the Region of the Americas.

During a virtual press conference on Tuesday, PAHO mentioned Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico as countries where the diseases have spread at an alarming rate.

PAHO director Dr Jarbas Barbaso, while expressing concern over the rate of increase, on Tuesday emphasised that effective strategies were being used to control the outbreaks and impacts of the diseases.

More than 12.6 million cases of these transmissible diseases have been reported in 2024, nearly three times more than last year. Over 7,700 persons have died, reflecting a mortality rate of 0.061 per cent.

Dengue is spread by mosquitoes, avian flu by birds, and Oropouche by midges and mosquitoes.

In terms of dengue, Brazil has reported nearly 10 million cases up to November 2024, the most by any country, according to Report No 43 – Dengue Epidemiological Situation in the Region of the Americas.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 12 million cases of dengue have been reported in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean.

Locally, dengue figures for the first four months of 2024 showed an average rate of 31.55 cases per 100,000 people.

In July, with an increase in the mosquito population in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness reported that there was no major spike in dengue cases.

A Gleaner report on July 18, 2024, stated that the National Surveillance Unit in the Ministry of Health and Wellness recorded 1,406 cases of dengue up to July 16.

The report gave a breakdown of cases per month for 2024 as follows: January – 634 cases; February – 249; March – 251; April – 120; May – 78; June – 51.

Oropouche fever

In September, PAHO issued an update on Oropouche fever in the Americas, stating that the disease had been detected in areas where transmission had not been previously detected.

Up to September 6, an additional 1,774 cases of Oropouche were detected in six countries for a total of 7,931 cases.

“Brazil was the most affected country with 7,931 cases and two deaths, Bolivia (356 cases), Colombia (74 cases), Cuba (506 cases), Peru (930 cases), and more recently, the Dominican Republic (33 cases). Imported cases have also been recorded in the United States (21 cases) and Canada (one case), following travel to endemic countries. Additionally, 30 imported cases have been documented in Europe,” the report stated.

There has been no reported case of Oropouche or bird flu in Jamaica in 2024.

Symptoms of Oropouche include sudden onset of fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and joint pains. Symptoms may also include sensitivity to light, dizziness, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting, and rash.

Symptoms for bird flu include fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, tiredness, eye redness or irritation, diarrhoea or vomiting, and difficulty breathing.

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