Since the last update on October 18, 2019, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has confirmed two new cases of dengue in the Cayman Islands.

·         Of these, one patient had travelled to a country with year-round transmission of dengue, while the other had no travel history, which suggests that person acquired dengue within the Cayman Islands.

·         This brings the total number of confirmed dengue results (since the first locally transmitted case in October 2019), to four locally transmitted and four imported cases.

·         To date all confirmed cases have been distributed between East End and George Town.

·         Since the start of the year the Cayman Islands has sent a total of 96 samples to CARPHA to be investigated for dengue.

·         Of that number 26 persons were admitted to the Cayman Islands Hospital showing clinical symptoms that might potentially be dengue.

·         Only in July (one case) and August (two cases) did tests confirm that persons had contracted dengue—in all three cases following recent travel to countries where dengue is endemic (year-round).

The Public Health Department’s Surveillance Unit continues to deploy systematic and enhanced surveillance measures, working closely with government and private sector physicians to review reports of suspected dengue.

For more information, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2648. For advice on mosquito control, contact MRCU on 949-2557 in Grand Cayman, or 948-2223 on Cayman Brac; and Department of Environmental Health on 949-6696 in Grand Cayman, or 948-2321 in Cayman Brac.