WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — Health authorities in Westmoreland are maintaining rigorous vector-control operations as new data reveals ongoing challenges with mosquito-borne disease prevention. Recent inspections conducted throughout February uncovered substantial breeding activity despite marginal improvements in key indicators.
According to Chief Public Health Inspector Steve Morris, officials examined 34,088 properties across 215 communities during the month-long initiative. These inspections identified 2,810 locations with active mosquito infestations, resulting in an Aedes index of 8.4 percent. While this figure represents a slight decrease from January’s 8.33 percent, Morris emphasized that it remains concerning from a public health perspective.
The Breteau index, which calculates breeding sites relative to inspected households, similarly showed a modest decline to 17.33 percent from January’s 17.4 percent. These statistics were presented during the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting in Savanna-la-Mar.
Fogging operations saw a significant reduction in February, with treatment of 71 communities compared to January’s 116. Morris clarified that this decrease followed the conclusion of an intensified control program in mid-February, after which operations returned to standard evening fogging schedules.
Notable improvements in operational capacity include the acquisition of two additional pickup trucks, expanding the fleet to seven vehicles plus a Coaster bus. The parish also secured 10 new fogging machines and an advanced ultra-low volume (ULV) unit, bringing the total inventory to 24 machines with 19 currently operational.
Despite these enhancements, Morris stressed that community participation remains essential. Inspectors documented 68,756 water containers throughout the parish, with 5,909 found to be actively breeding mosquitoes—highlighting the critical need for resident involvement in eliminating potential breeding grounds.
“We continue to observe significant container breeding activity,” Morris stated. “Residents must maintain vigilant search-and-destroy efforts around their properties rather than waiting for intervention teams.” Health officials urge proactive household measures as the primary defense against vector-borne disease transmission.