ST JAMES, Jamaica —  The Westmoreland Health Department has recorded a steady decline in the parish’s Aedes index over the past three months.

Medical Officer of Health for the parish, Dr Marcia Graham, said that the index, which measures the percentage of inspected homes or premises where Aedes aegypti mosquito breeding is detected, fell from 10.4 per cent in April to 9.6 per cent in May and declined by a further 8.4 per cent at the end of June.

She was addressing the recent monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation.

Dr Graham welcomed the development and urged residents to remain vigilant in preventing dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases.

“So, we are thankful but we do know that all it takes is for a shower of rain, new breeding sites to be created and complacency on the part of our fellow citizens for this trend to go back in the wrong direction,” she said.

Dr Graham encouraged residents to carry out weekly “search and destroy” activities around their homes, workplaces and places of worship to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

She also advised individuals to wear clothing that covers exposed skin, particularly during the early morning and evening hours and to use insect repellents, mosquito nets and window screens.

The medical officer of health said vector-control teams continue to focus on high-risk communities and areas where suspected mosquito-borne illnesses are reported.

Meanwhile, Dr Graham informed that laboratory tests confirmed that four suspected dengue or leptospirosis-related deaths reported in Westmoreland this year were negative for both diseases.

She urged residents to continue supporting vector-control teams as the parish works to remain free of dengue and leptospirosis.

—    JIS