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The Department of Public Health and Social Services is currently investigating a suspected case of dengue fever in Guam, which authorities say was imported from a neighboring country with an epidemic. According to a press release, the department is waiting for the results of the laboratory for confirmation.
Director of Public Health Linda DeNorcey said the public would be kept informed as new information was provided and reiterated that the specific type of mosquito that is the main vector of the disease was not in Guam.
"Although Guam is free from endemic diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, it is not uncommon for imported cases to come from residents or returning travelers," the statement said.
The Republic of Palau has a dengue epidemic, with 486 cases and one death. The Philippines has more than 146,000 cases and 622 deaths, the statement said. The Republic of the Marshall Islands has also reported a type of dengue epidemic, he added.
"People traveling to the Philippines, Palau or RMI should be vigilant with regard to precautionary measures and the prevention of mosquito bites," the statement said.
Carrier possible
Dengue fever is caused by one of four closely related viruses, which are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to Public Health.
While the mosquito species that is the main transmitter of the disease, Aedes aegypti, is not found in Guam, the Asian tiger mosquito – another competent transmitter of dengue fever – does indeed exist in Thailand. island.
Dengue fever is characterized by high fever, severe headache, severe pain behind the eyes, joint pain, muscle and bone pain, rash, and slight bleeding around the nose or gums.
According to Public Health, younger children and those who have had their first dengue infection have a less severe illness than older children and adults.
Dengue haemorrhagic fever, the severe form of the disease, involves a fever that lasts from two to seven days, which can be followed by persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain and breathing difficulties, said the department.
The most effective preventative measure is emptying water tanks because mosquitoes need a source of water to carry out their life cycle, according to the communiqué of Public Health.
World Mosquito Day
Public Health is also celebrating World Mosquito Day on August 20, a commemoration of the discovery between malaria transmission and mosquitoes in 1897 by British physician Sir Ronald Ross.
"This recognition is particularly poignant in our region because several neighboring islands in the Pacific are experiencing epidemics of dengue, another disease transmitted by a mosquito," the statement said.
Public Health encourages the practice of "4D" to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.
This involves 1) draining the water tanks at least once a week, 2) dressing long, loose clothes, 3) mosquito bites using evening approved repellents, when mosquitoes are the most active, said the department.
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