San Juan.- The Jamaican Minister of Health, Christopher Tufton, reported this Friday that the country is experiencing an outbreak of leptospirosis after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, with six suspected deaths so far.
During a press conference this morning, the Minister of Health stated that nine cases of the disease have been confirmed between October 30 and November 20 and that there are 28 probable cases. Tufton indicated that this figure represents a significant increase compared to the two to 21 cases observed in the previous 34 months.Leptospirosis is generally transmitted by exposure to the urine or bodily fluids of infected animals. The Jamaican Government announced yesterday the creation of the National Authority for Reconstruction and Resilience (NARA) to direct, coordinate, and accelerate reconstruction efforts in the Caribbean country following the passage of Melissa.“The outbreak occurred after Hurricane Melissa passed, which created conditions that increased the risk of exposure to contaminated water and soil,” explained the head of Health.
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The World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank estimated on Wednesday that the damage caused by Melissa in Jamaica amounts to 8.8 billion dollars, a figure equivalent to 41% of the 2024 GDP, making it the most expensive hurricane in the recorded history of the country.
Furthermore, according to data from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Melissa has destroyed or severely damaged 10% of the buildings in Jamaica and has left more than 4.8 million tons of debris on the island, enough to fill 480,000 trucks. According to the latest data from the Jamaican Government, at least 45 people died due to the Category 5 hurricane, and 15 remain missing.
