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Scientists from US hoping to prevent dengue fever outbreak in USVI
Published on Monday, November 24, 2008 Email To Friend Print Version
By Oscar Ramjeet
Caribbean Net News Special Correspondent
Email: oscar@caribbeannetnews.com
ST THOMAS, USVI: A team of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now in the US Virgin Islands hoping to avoid a dengue fever outbreak following the heavy rains that accompanied Hurricane Omar.
According to a release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the entomologists assessed mosquito populations at 22 sites on St Croix, St Thomas and St John using mosquito traps. They are also looking for mosquitoes in developing stages at aquatic areas including areas that flooded, ponds and containers. Mosquitoes typically lay eggs in and around water.
The FEMA statement quotes Dr Roberto Barrera, Chief of Entomology and Ecology Activity at the Dengue Branch, saying that FEMA officers, local Environmental Health Officers and mosquito complaints guided the search for unusual mosquito populations.
"The CDC will identify species and count mosquitoes captured during this activity. The agency will use that data to determine the presence and abundance of mosquito vectors, their distribution and the types of aquatic habitats that are producing most of the biting adult mosquitoes," the statement said.
Barrera said in the statement, "In turn, this information will be used to formulate mosquito control recommendations."
The Territory last experienced a serious outbreak of dengue fever during the summer of 2005, when the mosquito borne disease sickened scores of people on St Croix. A 14-year-old died and several persons had to be transferred to a hospital in Miami for care.
Scientists from US hoping to prevent dengue fever outbreak in USVI
Published on Monday, November 24, 2008 Email To Friend Print Version
By Oscar Ramjeet
Caribbean Net News Special Correspondent
Email: oscar@caribbeannetnews.com
ST THOMAS, USVI: A team of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now in the US Virgin Islands hoping to avoid a dengue fever outbreak following the heavy rains that accompanied Hurricane Omar.
According to a release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the entomologists assessed mosquito populations at 22 sites on St Croix, St Thomas and St John using mosquito traps. They are also looking for mosquitoes in developing stages at aquatic areas including areas that flooded, ponds and containers. Mosquitoes typically lay eggs in and around water.
The FEMA statement quotes Dr Roberto Barrera, Chief of Entomology and Ecology Activity at the Dengue Branch, saying that FEMA officers, local Environmental Health Officers and mosquito complaints guided the search for unusual mosquito populations.
"The CDC will identify species and count mosquitoes captured during this activity. The agency will use that data to determine the presence and abundance of mosquito vectors, their distribution and the types of aquatic habitats that are producing most of the biting adult mosquitoes," the statement said.
Barrera said in the statement, "In turn, this information will be used to formulate mosquito control recommendations."
The Territory last experienced a serious outbreak of dengue fever during the summer of 2005, when the mosquito borne disease sickened scores of people on St Croix. A 14-year-old died and several persons had to be transferred to a hospital in Miami for care.