The original article can be found in: Cayman Compass By: Brent Fuller
Cayman Islands public health officials said Thursday that one confirmed case of dengue fever was brought into the islands by a visitor.
Tests being conducted on a second possible case are still being conducted.
Since July there have been a total of five cases investigated for dengue, three of which were ruled negative by the Caribbean Public Health Agency.
The visitor who was confirmed to have contracted dengue abroad sought medical attention the day after their arrival in Cayman – Aug. 15 – said Dr. Kiran Kumar, the chief medical officer of health for the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority.
“While dengue fever is not endemic to the Cayman Islands, there was an outbreak in the 2012 season with sustained transmission of the disease,” Dr. Kumar said. “Although there has been no local transmission this year thus far, it is always wise to avoid mosquito bites by covering up at sunrise and sunset when the dengue carrier, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is most active.”
The Aedes mosquito transmits dengue by biting infected individuals and then biting other non-infected people.
Dr. Kumar said the public can help reduce the local mosquito population by clearing their properties of containers that hold water.
