Jamaica Participants: Prof. Anthony Chen, CO-PI Dr. A. Amarakoon Dr. M. Taylor Ms. A. Ashby Ms. Tannecia Stephenson (partially supported by the IAI/CRN)

Jamaica Results from preliminary retrospective studies: Development of regression models for predicting climate in Jamaica and other Caribbean Islands. A separately funded project commenced, with the participation of the CRN project members as advisors: “The Threat of Dengue Fever – Assessment of Impacts and Adaptation to Climate Change in Human Health in the Caribbean”. Results from preliminary retrospective studies: Dengue epidemics have a pronounced seasonality (peaking in the later half of the year). Dengue epidemics in the Caribbean are more probable in an El Niño or El Niño + 1 year. There appears to be a close association of the epidemic with temperature.