A senior public health practitioner wants careful attention to be paid to children and young adults, as data shows they are the most vulnerable to dengue fever infection.

Statistics show that over 70% of dengue fever cases are persons between the ages of, 6 to 20 years old.

In addition, young children are said to be at significant risk of becoming critical.

Senior pediatric emergency medicine specialist Dr. Joanne Paul, describes the symptoms as “neuro dengue”.

Dr. Paul also says, their platelets drop rapidly taking them from the fever to critical phase in a short space of time.

She asked parents to pay close attention to those with, sickle cell anemia and other ailments.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says, children 11 – 15 are mostly affected.

He too calls on parents to do their part.

Speaking on TV6’s morning edition programme yesterday, minister Deyalsingh said, the death toll remains at five with 509 cases.

Meanwhile, Dr. Paul sounded the alarm on cases of other viruses, which she says are on the increase.

Dr. Paul noted, that other Caricom countries are grappling with similar diseases and viruses.