Dengue Cases Surge: Nearly 90 More in Mauritius

At the start of last week, the Department of Health reported 494 active cases, but this figure had risen to nearly 585 cases by Friday, according to the latest official data. This increase represents a rise of over 90 cases in just a few days in Mauritius. Rodrigues has also seen a notable increase, rising from 305 to 458 cases in the space of four days.

In Mauritius, the most affected areas remain those of Port Louis, particularly Residence La Cure, Cassis, Ste-Croix, and Vallee des Pretres. For now, the East, South, West, and part of the central plateau seem less affected by dengue.

However, fumigation operations are underway in these regions to prevent further spread. The North is also affected by the increase in cases, particularly in Goodlands, Triolet, and even Grand-Baie.

According to virologist and team leader at the University of Cape Pulmonary Institute, Shameem Jaumdally, this increase can be explained by the fact that people had more opportunities to get tested at the end of the week. “Based on observations in the field, it is important to keep in mind that the number of cases is related to the quantity of mosquitoes in the environment. Given that there have been no heavy rains in the past two weeks, it is reasonable to assume that mosquitoes will not be as abundant as in the two weeks following Cyclone Belal.” According to him, risks could be significantly reduced as rainfall has decreased, resulting in lower infection risks.

As for the fluctuations, he explains that they are due to the number of people wanting to get tested. “People decide to go to testing centers and explain the symptoms they are experiencing.

At the end of the week, some people have more free time to do so. In any case, it is hoped that infection risks will be lower, especially depending on the weather conditions in the coming days.”

He hopes that the worst of the dengue epidemic will soon be behind us. “Unless we experience a major cyclone or significant flooding. As we approach April, we should see a decrease in rainfall, which will likely result in fewer dengue cases.”

Media: l’Express