Jamaica has declared an outbreak of the bacterial disease leptospirosis, suspected of causing six deaths, following the devastation from Hurricane Melissa in late October.

The Category 5 hurricane slammed into the Caribbean island on October 28, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides with some 30 inches (76 cm) of rain. The resulting stagnant, contaminated water has created a breeding ground for the disease, officials said.

Health Minister Christopher Tufton announced on Friday (November 21, 2025) that nine cases were confirmed between October 30 and November 20, with 28 additional suspected cases.

Leptospirosis is spread through water or soil contaminated by the urine of infected animals, such as rodents. The infection can enter the human body through cuts in the skin or through the eyes, nose and mouth.

While initial symptoms such as fever, headache and muscle aches can be mistaken for the flu, the disease can progress to a severe and potentially fatal form. It can cause kidney failure, liver damage, meningitis and severe internal bleeding.

“The outbreak follows the passage of the storm which has created conditions that have increased the risk of exposure to contaminated water and soil,” Mr. Tufton said at a press conference.

He warned that anyone coming into contact with floodwaters could be at risk, including “farmers, persons engaged in cleanup activities, emergency responders and others navigating flood areas.”

Hurricane Melissa left an estimated $10 billion in damages, according to Jamaican officials, hobbling the nation’s key tourism and agriculture sectors and damaging nearly 200,000 buildings.

Hurricane Melissa barrelled toward eastern Cuba, where it was expected to make landfall as a major storm early on Wednesday (October 29, 2025) after pummelling Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record.

Authorities in Cuba had evacuated more than 7,00,000 people, according to Granma, the official newspaper, and forecasters said the Category 4 storm would unleash catastrophic damage in Santiago de Cuba and nearby areas.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the Provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas, as well as for the southeastern and central Bahamas. A hurricane watch was in effect for Bermuda.

On Tuesday (October 28, 2025) night, Melissa sustained winds of 215 kmph and was moving northeast at 15 kmph according to the U.S. National Hurricane Centre in Miami.

“The hurricane was centred about 175 kilometres southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, and was forecast to move across the island through the night. The storm was expected to generate a storm surge of up to 3.6 metres in the region and drop up to 51 centimetres of rain in parts of eastern Cuba. Numerous landslides are likely in those areas,” said Michael Brennan, director of the U.S. National Hurricane Centre in Miami.

The hurricane could worsen Cuba’s severe economic crisis, which has already led to prolonged power blackouts, fuel shortages, and food shortages.

“There will be a lot of work to do. We know there will be a lot of damage,” President Miguel Díaz-Canel said in a televised address, in which he assured, “No one is left behind and no resources are spared to protect the lives of the population.” At the same time, President Díaz-Canel urged the population not to underestimate the power of Melissa, “the strongest ever to hit national territory”.

Provinces from Guantánamo — in the far east — to Camagüey, almost in the centre of elongated Cuba, had already suspended classes on Monday (October 27).

As Cuba prepared for the storm, officials in Jamaica prepared to fan out on Wednesday (October 29) to assess the damage.

Extensive damage was reported in parts of Clarendon in southern Jamaica and in the southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth, which was “under water,” said Desmond McKenzie, Deputy Chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council.

The storm also damaged four hospitals and left one without power, forcing officials to evacuate 75 patients, Mr. McKenzie said.

More than half a million people were without power as of late Tuesday (October 28) as officials reported that most of the island experienced downed trees, power lines, and extensive flooding.

The government said it hopes to reopen all of Jamaica’s airports as early as Thursday (October 30) to ensure the quick distribution of emergency relief supplies.

The storm already was blamed for seven deaths in the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.