An outbreak of Gastroenteritis and Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) is currently plaguing Grenada.
According to Now Grenada, Dr Shawn Charles, Chief Medical Officer, said that there is a significant jump in reported cases when compared to data for the same period in 2022.
Shawn Charles announced on Tuesday April 4th, via new briefing that, “Grenada is experiencing an outbreak of gastroenteritis. This condition is characterised by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and watery diarrhoea. Some individuals may have a fever and muscle pain, and the symptoms normally last between one to 3 days.”
Dr Charles also explained that there is an increase in cases of Acute Respiratory Infections since the start of 2023.
So far Grenada has seen 3,880 cases; this compared to the long-term average of 2,354 in 2022.
Respiratory infections in Grenada are caused by several viruses circulating, including Covid-19, H1N1 or the swine flu virus, the Human Metapneumovirus, and the rhinovirus.
What is Gastroenteritis-
Gastroenteritis is a very common condition that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. It’s usually caused by a bacterial or viral tummy bug.
The most common way to develop viral gastroenteritis — often called stomach flu — is through contact with an infected person or by consuming contaminated food or water.
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