30-year-old female is the 6th person to die from dengue in SVG

A sixth person in St Vincent and the Grenadines has died from complications of Dengue Fever.

A release from the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment today, Friday, October 2 said a 30-year-old female with a pre-existing condition has died.

“The patient, who had a pre-existing condition, was admitted to the ICU in a critical condition and died during the evening of Thursday October 1, 2020,” the release said.

“Persons with symptoms of Dengue Fever are again reminded of the vital importance of seeking health care in a timely manner, to avoid the possible complications of delayed care. Patients are also urged to comply with the recommendations of their health care providers especially for testing, treatment, review and admission where necessary.

“The symptoms of Severe Dengue Fever include severe abdominal pain, dizziness, bleeding and vomiting, and can occur after the high fever has settled, typically around day four (4) of the illness. Dehydration is caused by the high fever, vomiting and decreased drinking of fluids. Dehydration results in decreased urine (pee pee) or tears when crying (in a child) and is dangerous and must be aggressively treated. Persons with pre-existing conditions such as kidney disease, sickle cell disease and reduced immunity are at increased risk of developing severe dengue fever,” the release said.

The ministry said home treatments for Dengue should focus on reducing the fever by using cool not cold baths, acetaminophen (paracetamol) not ibuprofen, papaya leaf extract and maintaining hydration by drinking lots of fluids such as coconut water.

The public is reminded to use insect repellants, bed nets and clothes that protect as much of the body as possible from mosquito bites. It is essential that we all work together to reduce the number of mosquitos in our environments, by eliminating their breeding sites.

The fight against Dengue Fever is a shared responsibility. Our health is a shared responsibility.