MONTEGO BAY, St James – St James Health Services is now in a better position to be part of the fight against dengue, with the recent hiring of 50 new vector control workers, pushing the team to 85 members, and the local municipal corporation’s donation of five fogging machines for the ongoing drive to rid the parish of mosquitoes.

At the same time, the local authorities have announced that they will take a zero-tolerance approach to individuals who fail to follow rules to decrease the breeding of mosquitoes.

In reacting to the increase in vector control workers, St James Health Services Parish Manager Lennox Wallace stressed that the move was part of a strategic approach, not merely a reaction to the recent announcement that there is a dengue outbreak in the country.

He explained that efforts had been underway to get additional workers before the announcement but they have now come on board at an opportune time.

“It is like manna from Heaven; right on time. But, like I said, it’s not a knee-jerk reaction,” Wallace remarked.

He explained that additional vector control workers are typically employed on a temporary basis each year between June and November but steps have been taken to ensure the ones who recently came on board will be part of the employment structure for the foreseeable future.

Wallace also spoke of the gains that will be realised from the St James Municipal Corporation’s donation of fogging machines to the health services on Monday.

“The cost of one machine is more than $300,000, so what the St James Municipal Corporation would have done for us today is no chicken feed,” he said.

“We’re happy they are always on board and we look to the continued participation and working together as a team to ensure that Montego Bay remains the city to come to,” he added.

Deputy Mayor Councillor Richard Vernon said the corporation recognised the need and stepped in to provide five machines. Each cost $350,000.

According to Wallace, the health department now has eight fogging machines and he anticipates that they will soon receive another 10. The increase in workers and the additional equipment will allow for more work to be done, he said.

“It’s two times per day and we’ll be working seven days per week to continue to keep this scourge under control,” Wallace promised.

“We used to just do evening fogging. However, to increase the outreach, we’ll be going out at 4:00 am in the mornings to do different areas and then in the evening,” he added.

Communities to get increased attention are John’s Hall, Norwood, and Greenwood.

Meanwhile Vernon has cautioned residents that a zero-tolerance approach will be taken to breaches of the guidelines for dealing with potential breeding sites for the Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries dengue.

“If you have a breeding site or even an improper disposable of garbage, you are going to get a notice for you to abate that nuisance. If you don’t, further actions will be taken such as ending up in the court,” he told journalists during the presentation of the fogging machines.

There are currently no registered cases of the dreaded virus in the parish and Vernon wants it to stay that way.