The reluctance of Dominicans to believe that Chikungunya is transmitted by mosquitos is proving to be a major headache as health officials continue to battle the disease.
“One of the major barriers is that people are reluctant to believe that the mosquito is involved,” District Medical Officer Dr Candia Jacob told a panel discussion on the disease in Cottage on Wednesday night. “If they are not convinced, they are not going to do much…”
She pointed out that the matter has gotten so bad that environmental health officers have taken to threatening people with the law if they don’t get rid of containers that breed mosquitos.
“We have the environmental health officers actually having to go to homes and overturn the drums,” she stated. “They literally take up on themselves to empty drums, turn them over … and threaten people that they going to put them in jail.”
She noted that even sick people who turn up for medical treatment don’t believe the disease is transmitted by mosquitos.
“So I think that is where we have a barrier to limiting the number of new cases,” Dr. Jacob remarked.
Meanwhile Senior Environmental Health Officer, Clement Marcellin, believes there are some loopholes in the law when it comes to mosquito control and punishing those who disobey the law.
He said under the Mosquito Control Regulations when a notice is served, it is either complied with or ignored and when ignored the matter is taken to court.
“Most instances, once you serve that notice the offender takes urgent strides to comply, so that they don’t have to go to court but the damage has already been done and that is where we have been failing,” he stated.
Marcellin prefers what he described as “a fixed ticket” where offenders have to pay up as soon as the notice is served.
There are over 2,000 confirmed cases of the disease in Dominica.
I say let natural selection take its course those who dont want to believe in science should pray the illness away and lets see what happens
Its all in the caribean guadeloupe am leaving there last week we got 7000 cases
Dominicans doing likee is in bominica alone sickness is its allall in the caribean guadeloupe 6000 in one week dont count for hait
Dealing with dominicans is like banging your head on a wall.
You can’t get through to them. And ignorance prevails.
the flicking govt and health ministry need to attack this massive infestation of mosquito on this island we call Dominica. That is the root of the problem! This is war! the whole population is under duress!
We have the same killer sickness here in the US.just that it’s called a different name
really???? It’s call the same name? Didn’t you watch the news? People who travel to Africa, Asia and the Caribbean countries brought it back.
I wonder what will happen if the other party wins the election this year. If their MInistry of Health says its spread by mosquitoes will that make it scripture? Is that what we are waiting for? Well as for me and my house we will burn citronella oil and wear mosquito repellant.
Certainly more than 2000, a lot just treated themselves and a lot of children too…..it is an Epidemic….take vitamins to strengthen ur immune system….
I am not convinced that this is a mosquito borne disease. As someone rightly stated I think this is a lab-borne plague. I see this as a plague and if your immune system is weak and somehow the infection is around you in the air, you will get it.
So the health officials must prove we the doubters wrong.
provocation is against the law. I say no more because you are able to use the internet.
idiot!!!!! Why don’t you do some research? Do you want the health official to do that for you too?…smh.
I FOUND THE FOLLOWING WHICH MAY BE HELPFUL:
Source:
TN Department of Health
Tennessee Department of Health recommendations for preventing mosquito bites include:
Be aware Aedes mosquitoes feed during the day as well as at dawn and dusk and to be properly protected.
Use insect repellants such as DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 on your skin, following all label recommendations for usage. Pay particular attention to recommendations for use on children and never apply any of these products around the mouth or eyes at any age. Consult your health care provider if you have questions.
Certain products containing permethrin are recommended for use on clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear. Permethrin is highly effective as a repellent. Permethrin-treated clothing repels and kills mosquitoes and other pests and retains this effect after repeated laundering. Some commercial products are available pretreated with permethrin. Permethrin is not to be used directly on skin.
Do not use perfumes, colognes or scented deodorants or soap if you’re going outside, as fragrances may attract insects.
Remember “long, loose and light” when selecting outdoor wear. Long-sleeved shirts and long pants are best, and for improved effectiveness, tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants to form bug barriers. Wear loose-fitting clothing to prevent bites through the fabric. Light-colored clothes are less attractive to many insects and may allow you to spot them more easily.
Eliminate standing water near your home, which can serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Many containers, even those as small as a bottle cap, can hold enough water for mosquitoes to breed.
Keep wading pools empty when not in use and store them on their sides. Replace water in bird baths weekly and don’t allow water to stand in buckets or barrels. If you have a rain collection barrel, make sure it has a tight-fitting screen on the top.
Keep windows and doors closed or cover with screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home.
yes spread by mosquitos but believe also it is contagausas so many people with this. need more smoking in every village. we can do only so much. I have nets on windows & doors. nets over beds. no water containers. I am still suffering this. over 2 weeks. my body is weak. please some one tell us more. thanks
Sometimes I wonder if we really have a brian. Only this monrnig on Good Morning America they were talking about an outbreak of the mosqiuto borne diseases. Chickengunya was one of them described. There is presesently a lot of people coming down with the symtoms like of the chickengunya and they have asked the CDC to investigate. They mentioned about being careful when travelling to the Caribbean. No Caribbean island was mentioned. I too had my doubts about the spread of the virus by the mosquito after so many people came down with it. I recently went to a hospital in New York and there were flyers being given to people about the chickengunya virus and the symptoms to look out for. They were warning people about the mosquitoes and to empty all vases in your home and cans in your backyard. I pray that it does not come to New York. Dominicans hold strong and be assertive not negative.
This is why i am ashamed of saying im Dominican to foreigners, the lack of intelligence and backward thinking of our people.
My God, you people are refusing to listen to the health officials about this outbreak, yet crying out loud the government is not doing anything to help the people.
This disease outbreak is happening in other Caribbean islands but for some reason Dominica seems to be the only place that its so MAJOR, because you people as always blow things out of proportion and fail to use the brains that God blessed y’all with.
AMEN!
It is stored as a biological wepon for use in times of war by the military of many contries. Many countries also use it for medical exploration.
When it is released, it is transported by the mosquito. Somewhere, someone must have had to release this virus from a storage point, so that the mosquito could then transport it, infecting humans.
My ma and My brother caught this and are recovering, people need to be more vigelant and listen to the heath advise given . The stagnant water in tin, cans etc cannot be used so get rid of. Enjoy the fresh running water from the 365 rivers anmd keep the country clean.
I would like to propose a workshop to inform people how to quickly recover from this debilitating disease. With Natural Healing, I have treated many people, and obtained very good results, and I want the general public to be aware of what is available.
I use herbal remedies and obtain almost instant results with the the joint pain, fever, energy, and the feeling of well being.
This is a free workshop and I will give free demonstrations of the treatment to all present. Anyone wishing to attend should first call or email to make an appointment as space is very limited.
Date: Sunday June 15th
Time: 3 pm.
Location: Transcendental Meditation Centre,
30 McIntyre Lane, Goodwill.
Tel: 316 9765 email: [email protected]
This is a serious indictment of the state of our public and environment health. How do we explain the fact that chikungunya was present in other islands before Dominica, yet we are having larger number of people infected? Please explain,2000 cases!!
It doesn’t matter what people say or think. This is not something for officals to cry over. Do your job!
As far as I understand, the mosquito is rampant in Africa and China. The Govt, should check their immigrant populace.
Just saying.
It is not the fault of Scotty or Skerrit Clean all you area or environment. Dominicans get too lazy and untidy.
I was so impressed with Dr Jacob and Mr Marcellin’s presentation. You all really brought it down to a level anyone could understand. I just hope the skeptics and now convinced and not let ignorance continue to breed like the mosquito.
Correction: skeptics ARE now convinced
I have doubts and questions. My friend, visiting from Canada contracted the disease after one week of landing in DA and was admitted to PMH. She had to cut short her vacation, because she felt her life slipping from her. After landing in Canada she was also admitted to the hospital where she was told that they had never heard of Chinkungunya before. Just reporting based on what I was told when I called to ask about her health. Please explain.
Fellow Dominicans we are living in the end of time:
Matthew 24: 6 – 8, And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you be not troubled; for all these things MUST come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nations and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines and pestilences (chikungunya ) ect. and earthquakes in diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Verse 21 – 22: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Observe Dominicans, the days are indeed short, time is flying, strange diseases are manifesting. Take heed people, what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and loose his own soul, what can a man give in exchange for his soul? John 3:16
And to said that to what?
And you said that to say what? I am confused. The disease does not exist? If what you said is true, the statement of one poorly informed Canadian health officially is sufficient to override all the evidence which exist? What is your point?
Since this is (for now) a tropical disease, it is not unusual that the doctors in Canada may not have heard of it. This is not unusual.
Some of y’all are just so dumb, so what if you never heard of it before??? Does that mean it doesn’t exist???? C’mon people stop insulting the intelligence of our people on the WORLD WIDE WEB.
Its simple as doing a GOOGLE search and all you need to know is there.
The disease is spread by mosquitoes,ith here in the USA and also they are starting to report cases in the Virgin Islands,our people needs to stop being so ignorant.Storage of water not properly covered is the number one reason for the mosquitoes reproducing.For years now the government of dominica and the health dept has been warning about storing water.Common people think wisely.
Simple….Canadian doctors are not trained to recognise tropical diseases…Canadian docotrs until recently did not recognise symptoms of malaria either
My dear, you need to do some research. Chikungunya does exist and it is definitely due to mosquito bites. I thank the Lord it is not the deadly West Nile virus, which also transmitted by mosquitoes.
Read it myself on the internet from NBC news this disease is spread by mosquitos. we should all put other heads together I do what we have to do for own health.
Dominica is not the only country with the disease. Come on my people let’s be positive, for ourselves and our children.
Once allu get rid of that thing before I come down for the Fest eh or else even glass of water I throwing down in people hand.
I agree that the people have to take the necessary precautions to fight the spread of this disease by preventing the breeding of mosquitos but in an island of such an abundance in water there is little we can do. I do blame the gov’t of D/A for this epidermic. They had the chance to fumigate when this first occurred in Good Hope, thereby limiting breeding or even eradicating the mosquito. NOW
How can a government please their people when they were fumigating all you was fussing to much dam smoke. I don’t think this is a mosquito problem, they should get the CDC involve for further testing, because every single Dominican would be sick man, woman and child.
Fresh water, not sea water!
so the mosquito that spread the disease came from st.martin?
Yes it was a French or was it a Dutch mosquito?
anyhow productivity at work is affected.
I visited Da for 3 weeks. Wore insect repellant day and night. Almost everyone I met said they had got it and most were fixed in the belief that its not mosquitoes…
thats what happens when power hungry polititions and the judiciary scorn educated people…the populace becomes too ignorant to comply with basic health advice.
The Ministry of Health should stop looking for scapegoats and get down to dealing squarely with the illness. This is not the first illness where victims are questioning the accuracy of public health officials. What the Health Ministry must do is simply prove the detractors wrong. If they are convinced that the illness is spread only by the mosquito vector, then lay the evidence on the table in a manner that the population can accept. Otherwise, they will remain at the same point of blaming the population for the failure of the health professionals to contain the illness.
The health professionals are telling you exactly what to do to contain the illness, and you ignore them? Use your brain, Frank. Even the briefest research can help you (and everyone else): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chikungunya
You are quite correct. It is just a handful of people who share those thoughts; all the same I want to think that these handful of people are taking the neccessary precautions despite their opinions. They are not God. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Not mosquitoes at all. A doctor from Ross was honest enough to share the truth. This was something that was created in a lab and it was used by Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler unleashed this on his enemies, weakening their bodies and immune system so he could have the victory over them. The Health officials don’t always speak the truth. They cover up for whatever reason. Dominicans you all must not be gullible. Educate yourselves!!!!!
Indeed, Rosa. Educate yourself. Try google to start: https://www.google.com/search?q=chikungunya
utter foolishness!
I hope a mosquito bite you ….
Don’t use the names of such great human being when you are perpetuating your ignorance
Please don’t use the names of such great human beings when you want to perpetuate your ignorance.
This Rosa seems to be brainwash by foolishness. you are one of those who need to research and come better than that. lol..
Hey stop that nonsense and stop spreading rumor. Ross has actually sent advisory to landlords informing them on the steps to control mosquitoes to stop the spread of chikungunya. in addition, staff have been informed of the disease how it is spread and what to do to minimize the possibility of contracting it. Please Do not tell lie using Ross’ name.
Ok, let us assume you are right, did Adolph Hitler come to the Caribbean and infect people? Regardless of where it came from and whose lab, how do you catch it? How does it spread? Use your heads, people of all ages are getting it so it cannot be by sexual activity, maybe shaking hands? or being in the concentration camps? Some of you really have no brains!
DNO: The Caribbean Health Agency (www.carpha.org) says that as of 9 June there are 122 confirmed cases here, you are reporting over 2000. Which is correct?
ADMIN: We are quoting local health officials: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/health/2000-reported-cases-chikungunya-dominica/
the problem is with Dr. JOhnson and Mr. Scotland and the Epidemiologist Dr. Ricketts.
i can remember clearly when the first case was here and the NATION was concerned because of the SEVERITY of this disease that was affecting ST. Marten.
what did we hear from the officials over the MEDIA???????????????????????????????
“Dominica has recorded its first case of CHIKUNGUNYA but nothing to be alarmed.”
One case people was too many. now the people are confused.
My fellow Dominicans whatever you think it is, please keep your environment clean.
The people may have a right to believe that because if this is spread by mosquitos why is the hospital close indefinitely to treat the folks in the North East? True the drums need to be empty but they were told that these mosquitos breed in fresh water. S they breed in the pail of water that was collected this morning, they get sick and what happens from there? Hospital close, no treatment for the disease, feeder roads in deplorable state so the people who suppose to spray cannot get to certain households, what you expect to folks to believe? Either it is not the mosquito or the government wicked!!
Poor and ignorant excuse!
You that wicked and it will follow you everywhere.Get off your lazy a.. and do something for yourself,stop depending on the government.
HEllo!!! fresh water means not sea water.
Get Real ppl…as usual we wear our ignorance as a batch of honor and we are jack of all trades and master of none…PPL THIS IS SPREAD BY A MOSQUITO JUST LIKE DENGUE….so get with the programe…take care of your homes and your environment or the WHOLE OF THE DAM COUNTRY WILL END OF WITH CHIKUNGUNYA…think of the impact on tourism, school, productivity and other cost related to all this pple being sick because of our ignorance!
I think the Ministry of Health needs now to get some insect repellant and give out at schools, work places and else where. Cause the fumigating cannot affect the breading grounds and of course it is impossible to get to all breeding grounds, providing the mosquitos breed quickly.
Nothing but pure uneducated ignorance. There is a wealth of information out there on the net regarding this disease. People, it is spread by mosquito. For goodness sake learn.
so therefore, most of them now know and convince that its not spread by mosquitoes.
some of the things they say i have to wonder if these pple listen to themselves when dey speak. (oh that was made in a Lab, that is last days pestilence,)
30 yrs ago when ppl use to rely on the media and professionals to give us information, we no longer do that anymore cause we have INSTANT DOCTORS AND LAB SCIENTISTS>
add 4 more to the 2000
More llike over 3000 cases even 4. I dont wish that chikungunya not even on my enemy.Thats some terrible ever lasting pain
Hearty congratulations to District Medical Officer Candia Jacob and Senior Environmental Health Officer, Clement Marcellin for their great job putting out the message.
Like the parable of The Sower, some are receiving the word and making changes for the good.
We are also very pleased with the quick recovery using a similar approach that African scientists use for the febrile disease of Malaria. Let’s continue to push that conversation forward so even more progress will be made.
Foolish People!!!
I’m not an expert on how it is being transferred but as far as I have understood that this came from St Martin to Dominica by some one transmitting it so its puzzling to the people how can a mosquito bring it to the island . A friend of mine had it in St Martin and she said she still have pain even after she got treatment for it. I find there are so many cases in Dominica something needs to be done about it.
What ignorance is that? A mosquito bit the person who came from St Martin with the disease, took in the virus in its body, and then that mosquito bit someone else, infected that other person, and set the disease spreading. What is so difficult and mysterious to understand about that? SMH!
If you believe is obeah that spreading it, go light a black candle. Sacwe tonnere man!
One person comes from another country with it. A mosquito bites that person then bites someone else and that’s how the cycle begins. I hope this makes sense to you
lol!!! I hope that was simple enough
Dr. Jacob, while I sympathize with your concern and I do encourage our people to overturn their drums, I do believe that the fact that the people do not believe the problem is caused by mosquitos, is a clear sign that the people DO NOT believe, and have NO confidence in what their government is telling them, and that’s a huge problem. I have spoken to local medical professionals that have been in the field long before you and they told me that they do not believe mosquitos are the cause of the problem. Now although DNO is rightly reporting over 2000 confirmed cases when we add those that have the disease and never sort medical assistance we might very well be looking at 10,000 or so that are being affected. What I clearly see is that the government has no answer to that epidemic and I don’t even think care much about combatting it. Last week for example, Skerrit gave half a million dollars to the catholic church just to buy catholic votes. if they were interested in combatting this plague, wouldn’t they have taken say $300K from the bishop allowance, and employ some people from every village, to ensure that all mosquito breeding grounds be destroyed? I mean we have drains that are not flowing and lots of potholes all over; Even if people overturn their drums and other breeding grounds are not dealt with, the problem will still remain. So yes Dr. Jacob, it’s a government that has no answer to the problem now affecting the nation and on top of that, the citizens do not believe them.
All you will stay in all you wickedness doh.all those other islands that are more equipped than dominica cannot combat the epidemic and more and more people getting it,you there blaming the government.Get off your LAZY A.. and do something for your community too nuh.SICKO!!!
What a waste of money and he could not even win the general election, mark my words people.
what! half a mil! That money could buy repellents and insecticides for the populace. Dem guys not serious. They only dangerous.
Of cause you will have barriers, Dominicans have this habit that they set in their ways and don’t embrace change. The more one tries to educate people the more they resist. but pass a gossip or something political and she how fast they will soak it up and even spread it.
We as a nation has no sense of priority..
one more thing I believe its caused by a mosquito and I have never seen a health official near my home or neighbours home.
Prove the sceptics wrong and start taking measures to KILL the mosquitoes. this has been going on for months and my community has never ever been fumigated. these so call health officials are a big JOKE and an embarrassment to the sector. Hosting a meeting on the matter is not being proactive.
Chikungunya is a serious matter and everyone should treat it that way don’t allow your families and yourself to get ill, on the other hand I don’t believe threatening the public is the way to go either some people are more quicker than others but that do not mean they don’t care so those officers who are doing so should find another way to get thru to the people and don’t be a bully.
We need more education about the disease or diseases that come our way we are lacking a lot of information and it’s time that medical personals do more spend the time to educate the people, I do believer every Dominican knows that all diseases must be taken seriously but most of the times their are a lot they do not understand or believe what is going on they all know mosquitos bites are serious.
Medical personals should set up workshops all over the Island to teach and show the people what are their responsibilities and I’m sure we can all work together to bring about a Healthy Dominica.
Too bad innocent people have to suffer because of the action of a few ignorant people. But for the innocent, I would say let the mosquitoes eat them alive.
Some people have a don’t-care attitude which I have trouble coming to terms with.
Then just maybe they are right, the disease is not caused by mosquitoes but instead by ignorance. Yet, the method of disseminating information must always be called into question. Often, we simply give our own people more credit than they deserve; ultimately “the purpose of education is merely to replace an empty mind with an open one.”
That is ridiculous. We live in the tropics. Mosquitoes are a given. What is environmental health doing to get rid of adult mosquitoes? I haven’t seen the fumigating vehicle in my community for a while now. And, okay, you mean the mosquito is no longer interested in giving us dengue? It is the same exact mosquito ..right?
And they say they have pride for their country !!!!
Why is this happening?? Partly because some media people with some level of influence of the public are entertaining the idea. When some people call and express their idea that it is not spread by a mosquito, the host says stuff like” Its true! I cannot believe a little mosquito is doing all that damage!” And then, those folks take that back to their communities with all kinds of conspiracy theories. Its the duty of talk show hosts to be firm, and tell people that yes, it is spread by a mosquito, instead of fueling the ignorant people’ doubts.
Typical backward Third World people.