A new death from dengue in Martinique

A new death attributed to dengue fever has been reported by health officials. To date, 26 serious cases have been hospitalized and 7 deaths have been recorded since the beginning of the epidemic, the regional health agency indicated in a press release this Wednesday, January 17.

Martinique is currently affected by an epidemic of dengue serotype 2, in which the population is immunocompromised. Since the start of the epidemic, by the end of July 2023, more than 13,700 people have consulted primary care doctors.

Faced with this situation and despite the low trend in the indicators, ARS Martinique calls for continued vigilance and invites the population to respect preventive measures to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

Look for warning signs

The Professor André Kaby, Head of the Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the University Hospital of MartiniqueRecalls that the epidemic continues “despite a fairly clear reduction compared to what was seen at the end of 2023”.

On the other hand, there are always symptomatic cases of dengue, people who present at the hospital and those who are admitted to the hospital. As with all epidemics, there are severe forms, severe forms that result in hospitalization in intensive care and death.

For that, you should be especially vigilant during the third and fourth day of symptoms.

This is where the risk of developing into a severe form is highest. This is when you should especially look for warning signs. If at this stage, you still have abdominal pain, vomiting, bleeding that does not disappear and you feel unusually tired, these are all warning signs that require you to seek medical advice as soon as possible.

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Individual and collective vigilance

During this period of festive gatherings and high tourist season, the ARS of Martinique asks for personal and collective vigilance to systematically eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites around accommodation, protect against mosquito bites and consult your doctor immediately if symptoms appear. Call 15 if the disease appears.