CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) – A secondary school student has died after contracting dengue fever, the Ministry of Health here has confirmed.
It said that 15-year-old Tia Jn Baptiste, who attended the Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School, died last month and is urging people to be aware of the symptoms of the disease that include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles.
The Ministry of Health said the official results regarding the school girls’ death were received from the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency.
Health officials say they were also concerned at the prevalence of the disease on the island, noting there has been an increase in the number of undifferentiated fever and dengue fever cases at various health facilities.
Dengue is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. There is no commercially available vaccine and prevention is sought by reducing the habitat and the number of mosquitoes and limiting exposure to bites.
