Health authorities in St. Lucia say they are monitoring alerts from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) regarding the increased incidence of dengue and Chikungunya cases in the Americas including the Caribbean.
They said that the number of dengue cases doubled last year compared with 2021 and that “the same increasing trends were noted with Chikungunya”.
In a statement, St. Lucia’s Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs said although the majority of these cases have been reported in the South American countries, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the vector responsible for the transmission of these diseases, is present in St Lucia.
St. Lucia’s Health Ministry said that the mosquito lives in urban surroundings and breeds mostly in man-made containers. It is a day-time feeder, with peak biting periods in the early morning and in the evening before sunset.
The ministry said signs and symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain; with the latter being more frequent in chikungunya.
