The Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) is reporting an increase in respiratory illnesses across the island, but assures the public there is no cause for alarm. The surge is primarily linked to influenza A infections and aligns with global trends.
Dr. Linda Williams, President of BAMP, noted that since approximately January and February, there has been a noticeable upsurge in respiratory cases, predominantly due to influenza A. She also acknowledged a worldwide increase in respiratory viruses, including new strains of COVID-19 being observed in regions like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand.
Despite this rise, Dr. Williams emphasized, “There is no need for panic. There’s no need for fear. Everyone should just continue all of the hand sanitising protocols and common sense protocols that we have been employing since the time of COVID until we are told otherwise.”
Dr. Williams further highlighted that Saharan dust has been a significant contributing factor to the recent increase in respiratory ailments. “There’s been a lot of Sahara dust noticeable recently and this has caused some illnesses also in terms of allergy and allergic rhinitis, which is, you know, allergies affecting the nose and the eyes,” she explained.
For individuals who suffer from asthma and allergies, Dr. Williams recommended wearing a mask to help mitigate the effects of the Saharan dust.
BAMP is also urging Barbadians to take extra precautions when interacting with vulnerable individuals. “We encourage everyone, if you are around people who are vulnerable, to take particular precautions with them and to make sure that you don’t spread a virus to a vulnerable person,” Dr. Williams stated. She advised wearing a mask when dealing with or handling vulnerable persons if there has been exposure to a respiratory virus.