While no dengue fever related deaths have been confirmed, the Ministry of Health is investigating several claims of deaths as a result of the illness, according to Dr. Delon Brennen, deputy chief medical officer.
“We do know that there have been some reports and we’re investigating those on behalf of the Ministry of Health,” Dr. Brennen said.
“We’re getting samples of blood from those patients in order to send it out so that we can figure out whether it was related or not. In addition to that, you also have to investigate some of the past medical conditions that persons had in order to really see whether dengue was a contributing factor to their death.”
There have been around 1,000 combined clinically diagnosed and laboratory confirmed cases of dengue in recent months, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
Officials have said previously that the strain of dengue fever that is seen locally is not the fatal form of the illness.
However, Dr. Brennen explained that dengue fever, like the common flu, can lead to complications in people who have existing medical issues.
“So anytime you have a complicating medical illness, one of the chronic non-communicable diseases, an immune deficiency, any of those can lead you to worse outcomes as well. so if you are susceptible to getting infections, you too will (be vulnerable). Influenza will do the same thing. If you have chronic respiratory diseases, asthma, or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), if you get influenza you will get sicker than most people will. so it’s the same thing with dengue. If you already have any chronic non-communicable disease, dengue just complicates that on top of it,” he said.
Yesterday online media reports suggested that one man died as a result of dengue.
Dr. Brennen said he is not surprised about the number of death claims the Ministry of Health has received.
“When people die during an outbreak such as this, lots of people claim things. so what we need to do is investigate all of those claims,” he said.
In recent days, a large number of people have gone to public and private hospitals and clinics exhibiting symptoms of the virus.
Dr. Brennen said that up to yesterday there were 90 laboratory confirmed dengue cases. however, there are hundreds of other clinically diagnosed cases.
“When you consider the case definition with persons who come in with symptoms close to dengue such as headache, fever, or pain behind the eye, we have more patients. so you’re still talking about 1,000 of those patients who have been seen,” he said.
“But again those numbers are truly preliminary because without being able to confirm which of those cases are definitely dengue, it’s purely preliminary. As time goes some cases may be added and some may be taken out.”
Dengue fever is transmitted through the sting of the aedes aegypti mosquito. The Department of Environmental Health Services is fogging throughout New Providence and some of the Family Islands in order to reduce the mosquito population in the country.
Health officials say individuals should take steps to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds around their homes by removing all standing water in discarded cans, bottles, and tires and draining water from the base of planters.
People with mild symptoms are being asked to treat themselves at home by getting rest, drinking fluids and taking painkillers such as Panadol or Tylenol for fever, headache and joint and muscle pain.
However, if symptoms persists infected people should seek medical attention.
Dengue hemorrhagic fever is the most deadly form of the disease and it is not common in The Bahamas.