Jamaican hospitals are fully prepared to manage the leptospirosis outbreak, Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton assured Friday, following the flooding and heavy rains caused by Hurricane Melissa.
The outbreak has resulted in six suspected deaths, nine confirmed cases, and 28 additional suspected or probable cases across eight parishes: St. Ann, St. Mary, St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth, St. Catherine, and Trelawny. Dr. Tufton noted that these numbers represent a significant rise compared with the two to 21 cases reported over the previous 34 months.
Addressing a virtual press briefing, Dr. Tufton stressed the importance of declaring an outbreak. “Declaring an outbreak of the virus is important, because it enables a country to activate a faster and more coordinated public health response,” he said. “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.”
The Minister highlighted that the declaration also unlocks critical resources, including surge staffing, diagnostic supplies, emergency funding, and strengthened national surveillance, allowing cases to be detected, treated, and monitored more efficiently. “The early coordinated approach helps to limit the scale of the outbreak and reduces pressure on the health system,” he added, noting that it “also supports clear communication and transparency with the public.”
Dr. Tufton assured that hospitals are equipped with antibiotics and other necessary medicines, and that all levels of the health system are actively responding. “Whether it is the public health inspectors on the ground, the supporting agencies of other Government Ministries, the private sector, and of course PAHO, it’s an all-hands-on-deck approach, and we will pull through this,” he said.
The Ministry will continue to issue accurate, timely guidance on risks, symptoms, and protective measures to help counter misinformation and encourage early care-seeking. “This strengthens collaboration with the country’s partners – local, regional, and international – allowing for the quick mobilisation of technical support, supplies, and expertise,” Dr. Tufton said.
The Minister emphasised that leptospirosis can be managed and treated. “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 Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has advised that leptospirosis risk factors include exposure to contaminated water and soil—especially after flooding—direct contact with the urine of infected animals, poor sanitation, and inadequate housing infrastructure.
