42 chikungunya cases confirmed in Trinidad, one in Tobago.
Those are the latest official figures from the Ministry of Health, seeking to "allay the concerns of citizens".
Since the beginning of this year, countries in the Americas have reported nearly 850,000 cases of dengue and 470 deaths from severe dengue, according to the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO). Between December 2013 and 5 September 2014, 650,000 cases of chikungunya, including 37 deaths, were reported in the region.
On September 10, the Guardian reported that the Caribbean Regional Public Health Authority (CARPHA) stopped testing for chikungunya in T&T, "owing to the overwhelming number of cases".
The statement dismissed reports of larger numbers of confirmed cases as "based on unverified information of suspected cases".
Clean up: It's your civic duty
The Ministry also encouraged people to check around their homes and offices for potential mosquito breeding sites, such as sources of stagnant water. Both dengue and chikungunya are transmitted by Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes.
"Spraying must be accompanied by the cleaning up of homes and premises to remove mosquito breeding sites."
According to the ministry, the Insect Vector Control Division has done spraying in tens of thousands of houses in St. George Central and St. George West between May and July 2014.
"While we recognise the desire of the population to have areas sprayed more regularly, it must be noted that spraying is routinely done on a three-month schedule. Spraying is a supplemental, temporary method which only kills the adult mosquito population.
"The frequency of spraying is regulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as spraying too regularly leads to mosquito populations that are resistant to the insecticide. The eradication of mosquito breeding sites is still the best method to reduce transmission of chikungunya and dengue fever."
