ST. CROIX, Virgin Islands (28 June 2005) -- V.I. Health Department officials on Monday confirmed that it was a 14-year-old girl who died of dengue fever more than a week ago and announced that 15 suspected dengue cases were reported during the weekend. Kamarah Isaac of William's Delight died June 18 after she was admitted for treatment at Luis Hospital. Isaac was a student at St. Croix Educational Complex. Health Department officials said another 15 suspected cases of dengue were reported on St. Croix during the weekend, bringing the total number of dengue cases reported since January on St. Croix to 40. The Health Department said Monday that of the 15 cases, 10 are children and five are adults. It was not clear whether the patients had been admitted to Luis Hospital. Thirty-four cases were reported on St. Thomas and five cases were reported on St. John during the same time frame. The cases were reported by hospitals, clinics and physicians in the territory. "These cases have not been confirmed, but they were reported to us," Health spokeswoman Eunice Bedminster said. Neither the Health Department nor the hospital released details about Isaac last week. Dr. Michelle DuPre, the medical examiner on St. Croix, said in a released statement Friday that blood samples sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Dengue Branch in Puerto Rico confirmed that Isaac had an "acute infection of dengue." "After performing an autopsy and numerous tests to rule out other causes for the patient's death, it has been determined that the deceased died from a relatively rare complication of dengue, called dengue shock syndrome," DuPre wrote. She said her office is analyzing test results to determine the specific type of dengue involved in the case. In a statement released Monday, Health Commissioner Darlene Carty said that because there is no vaccine, residents are urged to be cautious and rid their homes of containers that can fill up with stagnant water and provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes. | | If not brought under control, the rapid spread of dengue fever in the Virgin Islands could threaten public safety and the tourism industry. Symptoms of dengue include a high fever, joint and muscle pain, severe headache, backache, rash, eye pain, nausea and vomiting. Treatment includes rest, fluids and pain relievers. Dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome, sometimes fatal forms of dengue, may have symptoms similar to the classic form of dengue or other viral illnesses. In the more serious forms of the virus, about the time the fever subsides, the patient may become restless or lethargic and experience easy bleeding around the gums or other areas and easy bruising. Petechiae and circulatory failure may follow. Advance warning signs of dengue shock syndrome include abdominal pain, protracted vomiting, an abrupt change in temperature from a fever to hypothermia, a change in mental awareness and irritability, she said. The best way to prevent dengue fever is to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds and to take precautions against mosquito bites. The mosquito that most commonly carries dengue is the Aedes aegypti, which feeds in the early morning and late afternoon. Anyone experiencing symptoms of dengue should consult a physician. Carty said most of the dengue reports have come from the territory's hospitals, not private doctors. SOURCE - Virgin Islands Daily News |
