Dengue cases down to 1% of 2014 figure

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says dengue cases are down to one per cent in 2018 compared to the figure in 2014.

He was responding to a question in the House yesterday from Chaguanas East MP Fazal Karim on how many vehicles were assigned to the Insect Vector Control Division and how many were operational.

Deyalsingh replied there were 71 assigned and 28 of those were operational.

Karim asked what was the optimal required size of the fleet.

Deyalsingh replied: “Ideally we should have all up.” He said, however, the proof that the division was performing was not measured in vehicles but in the number of dengue cases.

“That is the real marker.” He reported in 2014 confirmed dengue cases were 331. This dropped to 23 in 2015, rose to 81 in 2016, and then dramatically dropped to eight in 2017, and three last year. He pointed out the figure in 2018 was one per cent of the figure in 2014.

He said, while hardware and vehicles were good, the ministry was utilising more technology via the geographic information system (GIS) and was, therefore, working “smarter” rather than harder. He explained the system was used to pinpoint where mosquitoes were breeding in order to have a targeted response.

He said, while Karim claimed the reduction was due to under-reporting, the number of suspected cases in 2014 was 5,157 and this figure fell to 644 in 2018.

“So it is not under-reporting, as you said sotto voce. It is an Insect Vector Division using technology since 2016 to get these outstanding results.”

Deyalsingh said it could also be logically concluded that there would also be a reduction in dengue deaths.