Jamaica has declared a public-health emergency following an outbreak of the bacterial disease leptospirosis in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall on October 28 as a Category 5 storm. Officials report nine confirmed cases and six suspected deaths between October 30 and November 20, with an additional 28 probable cases being investigated.
Health Minister Christopher Tufton announced that the conditions created by storm-related flooding and landslides have significantly amplified the risk of leptospirosis, a disease spread through water or soil contaminated by infected animals. “The outbreak follows the passage of the storm which has created conditions that have increased the risk of exposure to contaminated water and soil,” Tufton said in a press conference.
The most affected parishes are St. James (17 suspected/confirmed cases, two deaths), St. Ann (six cases), St. Elizabeth (four cases, one death), and Hanover (three cases, two deaths). Men in their 20s make up a large proportion of the cases, and specialists say the risk profile now extends beyond farmers to cleanup crews, emergency responders and ordinary residents wading through flood-damaged communities.
The government, together with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), has mobilised rapid-response teams, diagnostic testing, and rodent-control campaigns. Over 5,600 PCR tests have been deployed and hospitals across the island have been supplied with antibiotics and treatment supplies to handle severe cases.
Doctors are warning that early symptoms — fever, headache, chills, muscle aches and jaundice — may mimic flu or dengue, and can progress to kidney failure, liver damage, meningitis or internal bleeding. Residents of flooded areas, especially those involved in clean-up efforts or visiting drainage sites, are being advised to avoid contact with standing water and to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms appear.
With the estimated cost of Hurricane Melissa’s damage nearing US $10 billion and nearly 200,000 buildings impacted, Jamaica’s healthcare system is confronting a “disaster-on-top-of-a-disaster” scenario. The combined effects of infrastructure collapse, water contamination and disease spells a major challenge for public-health officials.
The Ministry of Health says it will continue to publish updates weekly as the outbreak evolves, and is urging families and communities to maintain high levels of hygiene, protect themselves from flood-related exposure and participate in rodent-control efforts.
