JIC Release No. 17 - No New Cases; Dengue Presentations Provided - GHS OCD

No New Cases; Dengue Presentations Provided

The Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS), along with partner agencies, and the Guam community, continue efforts to mitigate the spread of the dengue virus on Guam.

To date, there remain eight confirmed cases of locally acquired dengue infection and four confirmed cases of imported dengue infection. With the enhanced surveillance and continued timely reporting by Guam healthcare providers, DPHSS expects additional cases of dengue will be detected.

As a reminder, the dengue virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito and cannot spread directly from person-to-person. Anyone who lives in or travels to an area where dengue virus is found and has not already been infected with dengue virus can get it from mosquito bites.

Dengue Presentations Provided
As part of an aggressive outreach commitment, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to provide DPHSS with technical assistance on epidemiological surveillance, monitoring, and risk communications. Part of the effort includes dengue presentations to the community.

All are invited to attend the following informational briefs on dengue, to learn more about the virus, efforts you can take to protect you and your family, and ongoing response efforts:

Tuesday, October 1, 2019 at 6 p.m. - Liguan Elementary School in Dededo
Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 6 p.m. - B.P. Carbullido Elementary School in Barrigada
Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at 6 p.m. - Merizo Elementary School

Understanding the Testing Process
See your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following symptoms of dengue fever: fever, aches and pains, rash, or mild bleeding usually around the nose or gums. Visit your nearest hospital emergency room if you experience any of the following symptoms of severe dengue fever: severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, significant bleeding, lethargy or restlessness. Severe dengue is a medical emergency and requires immediate medical attention or hospitalization.

Patients with active symptoms consistent with dengue can be tested by their healthcare provider through blood tests. After blood specimens arrive at the DPHSS Public Health Laboratory, it takes 24-hours to run the test. This early identification of cases will maximize the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services efforts to limit the spread of dengue on Guam.

Treatment
All people who think they have the symptoms of dengue should see their healthcare provider for further evaluation. Their provider will determine if their signs and symptoms warrant further testing and initial dengue management. While there is no medicine to cure dengue, early identification and medical management of severe dengue can save lives.

Rest as much as possible.
Take acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol outside of the U.S.) to control fever and relieve pain. Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen. If you have dengue, aspirin and ibuprofen thin the blood and may increase the risk of bleeding.
Drink plenty of fluids, such as water or drinks with added electrolytes to stay hydrated.
Avoid mosquito bites while you have a fever to prevent the spread of dengue to others.

Addressing the Need for Mosquito Repellent and Supplies
At the request of DPHSS, the Guam Chamber of Commerce is working with retail and wholesale merchants to expedite the shipment of supplies such as DEET (mosquito repellent), mosquito bed nets, etc.

The Guam Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pesticides Enforcement Program (PEP) reminds the community that all parties intending to import pesticide and repellent products and devices into the island must submit a Notice of Arrival (NOA) with the agency, prior to the arrival of shipment. A NOA is a legal document that is tendered by pesticide and repellent product importers for the sole purpose of collecting critical information concerning the importation and consignment of these types of products.

Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency (CQA) will not seize mosquito repellents and devices arriving with passengers that are for personal use only. CQA will, however, continue to confiscate mosquito repellents and items that are for commercial resale that do not bear the following: name, brand, or trademark, ingredient statement, direction for use, warning or caution statements, weight of measure of content, EPA-registration number, NOA and classification statement.

Refer to Official Sources of Information
The Joint Information Center (JIC) is aware of unverified social media posts and WhatsApp messages relating to additional unconfirmed cases of the dengue virus. The community is reminded to only share official, verified information from the JIC to help stop the spread of misinformation. To view the latest, visit https://ghs.guam.gov/.

For more information, contact the Department of Public Health and Social Services, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (671) 735-0124. If there is an emergency, dial 911.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC Release No. 17 - No New Cases; Dengue Presentations Provided