LUCEA, Hanover — The Hanover Health Department is reporting that at the end of the first week of November, Hanover had 84 suspected dengue cases.

"We have reported approximately 84 cases to date since the outbreak has started, year to date from this parish," medical officer for Hanover, Dr Simone Spence told the recent monthly meeting of the parish council.

"Anywhere between 70-80 per cent of the suspected cases are from communities in Eastern Hanover, the remainder would be from the West," she added.

Dr Spence said that up to 40 prioritised communities had been fogged in a drive to eradicate adult mosquitoes. The fogging programme which was originally scheduled to end in October had been extended to December, she said.

The Ministry of Health reported last week that more than 2,400 dengue cases had been reported since the start of the outbreak in mid-year. Another major outbreak in 2010 recorded more than 2,700 cases.

Dengue fever is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Symptoms include pain behind the eyes, joint and muscle pain, weakness, fever, and possibly a rash.