BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis has its first confirmed cases of the ZIKA virus, the Ministry of Health has informed.
A press release issued this evening (Sept. 16) by the Ministry of Health and Social Services through the Government’s Information Service informed that three particular samples which were tested by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) returned positive results.
The release further informs that although the samples were sent to CARPHA at the end of August, the results were only returned yesterday “largely due to the CARICOM laboratory’s inundation with over 1,300 ZIKA test requests within the last three weeks".
The Ministry of Health has advised that three individuals whose tests these were, have been informed of the results.
This development does not present cause for alarm, the release informs, and that the people of the Federation should increase its drive to retard breeding of the Aedes Aegypti which is the mosquito that carries the virus.
“The Ministry wishes to advise the general public that the announcement of these ZIKA results is not cause for panic. The public is reminded that the ZIKA virus is generally considered to be a mild illness with up to 80% of affected persons not showing any symptoms…
“As a result of the recent confirmation of ZIKA in our general population, the Environmental Health Department within the Ministry of Health will be sustaining and, in some cases, accelerating its vector control measures…The public is strongly encouraged to support the work of the Environmental Health Department by ensuring that every effort is made to destroy mosquito breeding sites around their homes, yards and businesses, to use safe insect repellant such as Off® when outdoors, to stay indoors whenever possible, and to wear long-sleeved clothing when outdoors. Care should be taken to drain flower pots, discarded tyres, tin cans and other receptacles with stagnant water in order to discourage the breeding of mosquitoes.”
The communique explained that St. Kitts and Nevis is now among close to 50 countries across the Caribbean and Latin America which have confirmed Zika cases.
Besides being transmitted via the Aedes Aegypti, Zika can also be transmitted via sexual contact and “as such, the Ministry encourages persons to prevent the spread of the illness via appropriate and consistent condom use, and abstinence.”
Although considered a mild virus with symptoms including fever, body aches and rashes, “Zika has also been confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as having causal association with microcephaly in newborns (children born with abnormally small heads) at a very low rate of ≤ 0.3% of cases.”
“Persons interested in obtaining further information on the ZIKA virus, control measures and the work of the Environmental Health Department are asked to contact the Department at 467-1271; the Ministry of Health at 467-1270; the Director of Community-based Health Services at 467-1134; any of the Federation’s 17 health centres or four hospitals.”
