An integrated vector control programme undertaken by the St James Health Department is delivering measurable results, with the parish’s Breteau Index (BI) reduced from 67.9 per cent to 24.6 per cent.

The BI is a public health metric used to measure the density of mosquito breeding sites, particularly those of the Aedes aegypti, the primary vector for diseases like dengue fever, Zika, and Chikungunya.

Speaking during the St. James Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting on February 12, acting chief public health inspector, Sherika Lewis, acknowledged the achievement.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for the parish of St. James. What we intend to do is to continue to be targeted and community-focused,” she emphasised.

The vector control programme commenced on December 29 last year and spanned six weeks, concluding on February 6.

The initiative was launched as part of the parish’s post-Hurricane Melissa response, aimed at reducing mosquito breeding sites per 100 households.

Twenty communities—including Salt Spring, Tango River, Cornwall, Spot Valley, Retrieve, Barrett Town, and Spring Garden—were selected for intervention.

Lewis reported that of the 20 communities inspected, 14 have received drum covers for waterstorage containers, while 1,000 bed nets were distributed to bolster efforts against vector-borne illnesses.

In the meantime, St. James’ rodent control programme, which commenced on January 3, will continue for six months.

The chief public health inspector noted that the initiative is being implemented in eight phases, based on the grouping of several communities, with three initial baiting phases already completed.

“To date, a total of 1,786 bait stations containing rodenticide—what we know as rat poison—have been set. A second baiting cycle has been completed in some areas,” she said.

Noting that three persons have died from leptospirosis, Lewis emphasised that the illness is preventable and reaffirmed the commitment to address the issue through the programme by targeting hot spots across the parish.

Additionally, as part of efforts to enforce the integrated vector control programme, the Health Department carried out bulky waste removal in 20 communities, resulting in 356 loads being cleared—surpassing the initial target of 267.

“All communities scheduled for January were completed, with the exception of Norwood. We are currently working on the logistics for that area, where we anticipate a significant number of working days. As such, operations will continue into February,” she said.