Malaria Outbreak investigation in Jamaica

Jamaica was declared malaria-free by the World Health Organization in 1965. After four decades of eradication a malaria outbreak was declared on November 30, 2006. This peaked in the second week of December 2006 and slowly declined to June, 2007 at which point the cumulative number of confirmed cased was 370.

As a tropical country Jamaica has the climate, rainfall and other environmental conditions conducive to the transmission of malaria. With the persistence of the vector, Anopheles albimanus mosquito, and the frequent travel of visitors and nationals to and from malaria-endemic countries, all the ingredients for an epidemic exist. The country continued to have 3 – 14 imported cases of malaria annually. In 2004 and 2005 there were 141 and 88 imported cases, respectively. These cases resulted from a massive influx of Haitian refugees.

The malaria parasite isolated in this outbreak was Plasmodium falciparum. The main symptoms were vomiting, fever, chills and muscle pains. No deaths were attributed to the outbreak. The cases were clustered in the inner city communities of Kingston and St. Andrew. As of January 31, 2008, there were 374 cases with ages ranging from 7 months to 93 years.

The epidemiological strategies employed involved Early Case identification and Treatment through intense Fever Surveillance from door to door in the affected communities and health facilities. This was backed up by continuous systematic cyclical vector surveillance measures, public education, personal and individual protection, inter-sectoral collaboration and partnerships at the national, regional and international levels.