The outbreak of dengue fever in New Providence is driving the sale of the popular insect repellant OFF!.
One consumer said in an interview that she went to two stores before being able to get the item.
"I went to the smaller stores in the Carmichael area - the Chinese stores," Margaret Beneby said.
"They were both out.  Their stocks were not probably major to begin with, but I was told that OFF! was their biggest seller."
Justina Adderley had a similar experience.
"I went to Supervalue in Cable Beach last week looking for OFF! because my mom is going to Harbour Island and we asked the worker and he said they were out," she said.
That store has since replenished it's stock, according to a representative.
Nikki Simmons, marketing manager at City Market, told The Nassau Guardian that OFF! is also moving off their shelves quickly.
Simmons said sales picked up over the last three weeks.  Sales increased further, she added, following a press conference held at the Ministry of Health last week when Dr. Hubert Minnis revealed a growth in the number of reported dengue fever cases.
Simmons said City Market is in the process of ordering additional shipments of OFF!.
"We're being as proactive as we can," she said.
Additionally, the chain has been giving out informational flyers to its customers, Simmons said.
Last week, health officials reported that there were more than 1,500 recorded cases of dengue fever in New Providence.
However, that number likely has grown significantly, as scores of people continue to flock to public and private health care facilties with symptoms of the virus.  Symptoms include fever, headache, eye pain and joint pain.
The large number of cases this year has burdened the public health care system.
The government has urged citizens to ensure there is no standing water in their yards in order to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for spreading the virus.
Over the past week there have been an average of 100 reported cases per day of dengue fever, according to estimates from the Ministry of Health.

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