While the Ministry of Health has confirmed an increase in the number of dengue cases in Grenada, there are no confirmed cases in Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
However, according to the Met Office, mosquito breeding and mosquito–borne diseases can increase with the combined heat and increase in moisture that we are experiencing which can result in increased humidity.
The Met Office’s forecast is that heat stress will continue to be an issue throughout the next three months as the region’s ‘Heat Season’ which is normally May to October, will continue to November this year.
For the past two weeks the Ministry has embarked on a fogging programme in Carriacou and Petite Martinique since there is the practice of some people using buckets and drums to store rain water which provides excellent breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
According to Dr Anthony Tyron Davis the District Medical Officer in Carriacou, in previous years there were one or two cases of dengue. He confirmed to The Grenadian Voice that there are no confirmed cases of dengue in Carriacou for the year so far.
Besides dengue, with a persistent forecast for above normal for both daytime and nighttime temperatures, exposure to extreme heat can result in several illnesses such as heat strokes, heat exhaustion and heat cramps.
