Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton says Jamaica’s hospitals are equipped to deal with confirmed cases of leptospirosis.

Addressing a virtual press briefing on Friday (November 21), he said with an outbreak now confirmed, the public system is able to treat with it, because medicines, especially antibiotics, are in place.

“Whether it is the public health inspectors on the ground, the supporting agencies of other government ministries, the private sector, and of course PAHO (Pan American Health Organization), it’s an all-hands-on-deck approach, and we will pull through this,” the minister said.

He noted that eight parishes have confirmed or have suspected cases, namely St. Ann, St. Mary, St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth, St. Catherine, and Trelawny, with additional reported cases under investigation.

The minister said declaring an outbreak of the virus is important because it enables a country to activate a “faster and more coordinated public health response”.

“An official declaration signals to the health system that immediate action is needed to identify cases, to contain the spread, and to prevent severe illness or death,” Tufton said.

He pointed out that the declaration also unlocks resources, such as surge staffing, diagnostic supplies, and emergency funding, and strengthens national surveillance, so that cases can be detected, treated, and monitored more efficiently.

The minister said that the early coordinated approach helps to limit the scale of the outbreak and reduces pressure on the health system, hence a “declaration also supports clear communication and transparency with the public”.

The health ministry, Tufton said, will continue to issue accurate and timely messages about the risks and symptoms, and steps individuals and communities should take to protect themselves.

He added that this should help to counter misinformation, build trust, and encourage the people to seek care early, underscoring that the declaration also strengthens collaboration with the country’s partners – local, regional and international –allowing for the quick mobilisation of technical support, supplies and expertise.

“It is something that can be managed, can be controlled, can be treated, and beyond the normal numbers, we have to make it known, and we are making it known, so that the public can be informed and the measures to be taken can be outlined, which includes their own personal responsibility, which everyone has to take, particularly in these circumstances after a major event such as Hurricane Melissa,” the minister said.

PAHO has informed that risks of contracting leptospirosis include exposure to contaminated water and soil, especially after floods; direct contact with the urine of infected animals, which are the main sources of the bacteria; poor sanitation; and inadequate housing infrastructure.