Caribbean News
Dengue making a Caribbean comeback says PAHO; Two million cases, 723 deaths since January
#Providenciales, August 19, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – After two years of dramatically reduced number of reports, the mosquito-borne sickness, Dengue Fever is resurging in the Caribbean and Latin America according to the Pan American Health Organisation.
Over the weekend, PAHO shared that while the cases being recorded are not nearing the 2015-2016 figures, they are higher and the disease is killing people.
“Since the beginning of the year, more than 2 million individuals in the region have contracted the mosquito-borne disease and 723 have already died from it, PAHO said. While it attributes the high number of cases to the climate, environmental management and the mosquito’s capacity to adapt, children’s vulnerability may be due to their lack of immunity, PAHO said.
Even more frightening is that the most affected population group are children under the age of 15 years old and the best way to treat Dengue, is not to get it at all. There remains no cure for the fever.
“The region is experiencing a new epidemic cycle of dengue, with a notable increase in cases. The climate, environmental management and the mosquito’s capacity to adapt may have caused the situation to increase in complexity,” said Dr Marcos Espinal, director of PAHO’s Department of Communicable Diseases and Environmental Determinants of Health.
The information takes health agencies, households and residents back to basics.
“The most effective way to combat it is to eliminate its breeding sites in order to prevent the mosquito from reproducing because without mosquitoes there would be no transmission of dengue.”
At the start of August, the TCI Department of Environmental Health issued a notice.
“Due to the recent rainfall throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands the Environmental Health Department (EHD) hereby advises residents, home owners, apartment owners and businesses to remove all debris and refuse/garbage from their premises and dispose at the public landfill/solid waste disposal sites on your respective Island. The removal of the debris & refuse/garbage from your premises will reduce mosquito breeding and prevention of mosquito borne and other vector borne diseases such as Dengue fever.”
It was also explained, while there is no specific treatment for dengue, timely detection, access to medical care and proper management of the symptoms can reduce complications and the disease’s progression. The virus that causes dengue has four different serotypes, known as DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4.
Serotype 2 or DEN-2 is the deadliest.
The 10 countries most affected by dengue, in terms of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, are Nicaragua, Brazil, Honduras, Belize, Colombia, El Salvador, Paraguay, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela. Honduras and Nicaragua have already declared national-level epidemiological alerts this year to expedite the response, PAHO said.
By: The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter
May 9, 2024 – The FCCA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), has launched an annual scholarship in honor of former Prime Minister of Barbados, The Right Honorable Professor Owen Seymour Arthur, who played a significant role in advancing the cruise trade association’s vision.
The annual gift of US$25,000 will be awarded to a different Caribbean destination each year to support the work of either an educational institution or a nonprofit organization chosen by the destination.
Barbados will receive the inaugural Owen Arthur scholarship, and next year’s scholarship destination winner will be announced at the ‘Shining Stars FCCA Foundation Dinner’ during Seatrade Cruise Global 2025.
“I am honored that the Foundation can continue the legacy of The Right Honorable Professor Owen Seymour Arthur, who truly inspired my career and empowered so many throughout the Caribbean, as well as making it possible to have the current partnership between the cruise industry and the Caribbean,” said Michele Paige, CEO, FCCA. “Hopefully this scholarship can live up to his memory by providing a platform for future generations in the region.”
By: The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter
May 9, 2024 – The historic UN Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island States (SIDS) brought global attention to the significant challenges faced by small islands, underscoring that their concerns were big issues for all.
On April 26, several key figures who contributed to the 1994 Barbados meeting gathered in Bridgetown to commemorate its 30th
anniversary. The outcome of the 1994 meeting was the Barbados Program of Action, which delineated how the world community should address the unique vulnerabilities of islands, particularly in response to climate change.
Despite initial reluctance from powerful UN members to hold more than one SIDS conference, subsequent gatherings in Mauritius and Samoa and a fourth global conference scheduled for Antigua and Barbuda in May 2024 are a testament to some of the successes of the SIDS process.
In Antigua and Barbuda, the international community will convene to review the sustainable development progress of SIDS and propose a new decade of partnerships and solutions to accelerate their journey toward resilient prosperity.
The Barbados meeting last month provided a reflective journey for many, as attendees, including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, paid tribute to the late Ambassador Miles Stoby of Guyana, the visionary behind the initiative and for whom Barbados was, fittingly, a second
Caption: Ambassador Lyutha al Mughairy (widow of Ambassador Miles Stoby) greets Garth Sandiford, son of late Barbados Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford. Looking on are Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and former UN Under-Secretary General Peter Hansen.
By: The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter
May 9, 2024 – The Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC), held April 22-24 at Radisson Grenada Beach Resort was a resounding success.
The conference is the Caribbean’s foremost event for high-level networking and dialogue on sustainable tourism, providing a crucial platform for tourism policymakers, private sector stakeholders, thought leaders, and strategic partners to address the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of Caribbean tourism.
The meeting highlighted the essential pillars necessary for creating a transformative and regenerative legacy under the theme “The 5 Ps for a Legacy of Caribbean Tourism Sustainability: People, Planet, Prosperity, Purpose & Partnership”.
Thought-provoking addresses from Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, set the stage for discussions about the future of Caribbean tourism.
PM Mitchell stressed the need to include a broader array of stakeholders in the tourism conversation, while Stewart highlighted the importance of partnerships and unity within the sector. The conference was marked by authentic displays of Grenadian culture and dynamic panel sessions.
Caption: Adam Stewart of Sandals Resorts International delivered the keynote address.
The MPE Caribbean Report Newsletter
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