WASHINGTON, DC, United States (CMC) — The Pan American health Organization (PAHO) is warning Caribbean countries to do more to deal with mosquito-borne diseases during the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, after indicating that more than 1.6 million cases of dengue have been reported in the Americas in the first five months of this year.
These measures can be done as a family activity,” PAHO said in an epidemiological update on dengue.
Notwithstanding the impact of COVID-19, there is a crucial need to sustain efforts to address dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases using the Integrated Management Strategy to prevent and control them.
The head of PAHO's unit on neglected, tropical and vector-borne diseases, Dr Luis Gerardo Castellanos said “people who have symptoms of dengue, including fever and severe headaches, should seek medical attention and be alert to warning signs for severity in dengue, such as persistent vomiting, intense abdominal pain and dizziness”.
“The aim is to reduce the transmission and strive to identify early predictors of severe dengue disease at the primary health care level,” said PAHO.
