With almost three weeks since the announcement of the first locally acquired case of dengue fever, the government of Guam has issued another update about the disease.
After a test conducted by the Department of Public Health and Social Services last Friday, the number of confirmed cases of dengue fever on the island now stands at 12.
According to a release from the Joint Information Center, there are eight confirmed locally acquired cases and four confirmed imported cases.
According to Krystal Paco, the governor’s spokesperson, the number of locally acquired cases may rise.
“Although we stay at status quo this morning, we are pending one test today. There’s one being tested today and we’re pending the receipt of another test, so hopefully we’ll have the results by the end of today,” Paco said.
On Friday, Public Health’s Epidemiological Surveillance team visited the home of the patient who was diagnosed with the latest case as well as an establishment they frequently visit and has received consent for pesticide spraying.
In addition, teams dispatched by Public Health surveyed the mosquito populations of all 11 sites associated with both the locally and imported cases of dengue fever and reported that preliminary screening tests of captured mosquitoes have returned negative for the presence of the virus.
As for preventative items such as insect repellents and devices, the Guam Environmental Protection Agency continues to advise the community to use such products that are EPA-registered and established.
For those who intend to import pesticide and repellent products to the island, a Notice of Arrival must be submitted to Guam EPA prior to the shipment’s arrival. Because of the recent dengue cases, Guam EPA Administrator Walter Leon Guerrero says that all Notices of Arrival will be processed with a same-day turnaround.
For those who are interested in learning more about dengue fever and how to mitigate its spread, outreach efforts will be conducted by GovGuam both this week and next week.
The first informational briefing will take place tomorrow, October 1st, at Liguan Elementary School…then Thursday, October 3rd, at the BP Carbullido Elementary School, as well as next Tuesday, October 8th, at the Merizo Elementary School. All briefings will be held at 6 p.m.
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