• Category

  • Content Type

Advertisement

Surveillance of Mosquito Breeding Sites Continues

February 22, 2007

The Full Story

Minister of Health, Horace Dalley informed the House of Representatives on Tuesday (February 20) that the surveillance of breeding sites for the anopheles mosquito is being continued across the island.
“Surveillance of the environment has continued assiduously by the health team in both the affected areas and unaffected areas with the aim of finding all anopheles breeding sites and treating them appropriately,” said Mr. Dalley.
He said that as of February 13, approximately 450 anopheles breeding sites in 256 communities across the island, have been found, treated, and destroyed.
This include 64 breeding sites in Kingston and St. Andrew; 88 in St. Catherine; 26 in St. Elizabeth; 39 in St. Thomas; 24 in Portland; five in Westmoreland; six in Trelawny; 30 in St. James; 12 in Hanover; 14 in Clarendon; and 13 in Manchester.
“The treatment of breeding sites has been effective. The dominant breeding site continues to be ground pool water and drains. For example the major drain in Kingston and St. Andrew and in St. Catherine, and the large ponds in Great Bay are serious challenges requiring monitoring and repeated treatment in order to prevent recurring of mosquito breeding,” said Mr. Dalley.
In the meantime the Health Minister said that screening of blood for the malaria parasite commenced at the National Blood Transfusion Service in early December and that as of February 7, all blood donors have been tested for the malaria parasite.
Mr. Dalley also informed the House that the origin of the malaria outbreak has not been located. “The original source that has triggered the outbreak has not been located. DNA testing by the Centre for Disease and Control in Atlanta indicates that the outbreak in Kingston was from a single source consistent with the falciparum malaria parasite found in Haiti,” he said.
He added that the possible link between the spread of the disease and illegal immigrants, and contraband, was being investigated. To date, some 302 persons have been infected with the malaria disease.

Last Updated: February 22, 2007

Skip to content