MARIGOT:--- As All Saints’ Day approaches, the Health Agency of Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin, and Saint-Barthélemy (L’Agence de Santé de Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin et Saint-Barthélemy) is reminding the public to take preventive measures against dengue fever.
Recent weeks of heavy rainfall have created ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes, leading to an increase in dengue cases across the archipelago, with a particularly active outbreak in Saint-François and several cases reported in Baie-Mahault.
All Saints’ Day is a time of family gatherings and visits to cemeteries, which can unfortunately become hotspots for mosquito breeding and dengue transmission if precautions are not taken. The Health Agency is calling on local authorities and residents to remain vigilant and take simple preventive actions when maintaining cemetery areas:
- Keep containers and objects protected from rainwater.
- Pay attention to unfinished tombs and sealed vases that can collect rainwater.
- Place fresh flowers in moist sand instead of standing water.
- Remove candles and lanterns after the All Saints’ Day period.
More broadly, during this still rainy season, everyone is urged to eliminate stagnant water around their homes — in open containers, uncovered barrels, discarded waste, and any hollow objects where mosquitoes can breed.
Water reserves, which remain essential for daily use, should also be properly covered — for example, with mosquito netting.