The Health Ministry has announced that starting Monday, October 2, Jamaicans will be able to take advantage of extended opening hours for all Type Three to Five health centres as the country faces a dengue outbreak.

Director of Health Services Planning and Integration, in the ministry, Dr. Nadine Williams, said the new closing time for the centres will be 8:00 p.m.

Additionally, on Monday, October 2, children under 18 years who visit the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) will not be charged a fee or be required to pay for the services at the facility.

This is because most confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne disease have been seen in children, ages five to 14.

The dengue outbreak was declared on Saturday, September 23, with Jamaica having surpassed the epidemic threshold for July and August and on a trajectory to do the same in September.

Meanwhile, she noted that the dominant strain affecting the island is Dengue Type 2, which last predominated in 2010.

Dr. Williams was speaking at the post-Cabinet press briefing held at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday.