PORT ANTONIO, Portland — With five cases of leptospirosis confirmed, local health officials are once again appealing for more funding to help rid Portland of rodents, known carriers of the disease.

“Our environmental health team conducted another baiting exercise at the Errol Flynn Marina on December 6, 2025 in an effort to maintain the gains of the exercise that was done in summer of this year. No rodent has been seen at the marina since the baiting was done in the summer, and we are very happy about that. It is important that, as the festive season approaches and more food is likely to be available for the rodents, that we keep the population at the location to a minimum,” said Portland’s medical officer of health, Dr Sharon Lewis.

She was giving a report during Thursday’s monthly meeting of the parish’s municipal corporation.

“We had to work within the scope that the funding allowed us to work in so if we get more funding, then we are able to do more. Because, as you can see, leptospirosis is in the environment; it’s not just limited to one location. Wherever these animals are, they are potential carriers… particularly the rodents, which tend to migrate into persons’ premises when we have rainy seasons like this,” said Dr Lewis.

“It increases the risk for the population to be exposed to leptospirosis, and therefore can increase, as we are seeing now, the number of leptospirosis cases. We look forward to the funding so that we can do more. It is something that we have always been advocating as a health department… that it should be done annually in order to keep the risk at a minimum. I implore the powers that be to support us in this,” she added.

She used the opportunity to appeal directly to Member of Parliament for Portland Eastern Isat Buchanan, who was at the meeting.

Dr Lewis’s appeal came on the heels of her praise for those who assisted with funding for past efforts, and her colleagues who did the baiting despite the limited resources. Only the marina was baited as funds was not available to baiting Boundbrook to Folly, as well as Manchioneal and Buff Bay as was originally proposed

“Thanks again to the Port Authority of Jamaica for the funds provided, to the municipal corporation for coordinating the process, and to my public health team for the work done in baiting the location. When we work together we are able to achieve great success,” Lewis said.

According to data she provided, the parish’s five confirmed cases of leptospirosis were among a batch of 14 suspected cases seen for the period of January to November of this year.

“One of these five was for a patient who was seen in July 2025, however the result was received in November. Therefore, three of the cases were pre-Hurricane Melissa and two post-Hurricane Melissa,” Dr Lewis outlined.

In providing a breakdown of where the confirmed cases were seen, she noted that there were no clusters observed, which is good news. There were two cases each in the Buff Bay Health District and Central Health District in Port Antonio, along with one in the Manchioneal Health District.

There have been no recorded deaths in the parish from leptospirosis this year.

“For the corresponding period in 2024, four suspected leptospirosis cases were reported and two cases were confirmed, one of whom, unfortunately, died,” said Dr Lewis.

— Everard Owen

Portland’s Medical Officer of Health Dr Sharon Lewis speaking during Thursday’s monthly meeting of the municipal corporation. (Everard Owen)