Five Zika Virus cases in CARICOM – CARPHA

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has confirmed five cases of Zika virus in a Member State of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). This is the first time Zika has been detected in a CARICOM Member State.

Earlier this year, suspected cases of the mosquito-borne disease were reported in Brazil and the Dominican Republic.

Zika is a viral disease, transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is also the insect vector for Dengue and Chikungunya.  The symptoms are also very similar to these diseases and include fever, muscle and joint pain, headache, nausea, and rash.  There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika and symptoms last approximately four to seven days.  Complications are rare and no deaths due to Zika have ever been recorded. [su_box title=”The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)” style=”soft” box_color=”#54c0f0″]The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is the new single regional public health agency for the Caribbean. It was legally established in July 2011 by an Inter-governmental Agreement signed by Caribbean Member States and began operation in January 2013. The Agency rationalises public health arrangements in the Region by combining the functions of five Caribbean Regional Health Institutions (RHIs) into a single agency. They are:  The Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI)  The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC)  The Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI)  The Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC)  The Caribbean Regional Drug Testing Laboratory (CRDTL) CARPHA brings these RHIs together as one strong force under a public health umbrella where issues requiring a regional response can be addressed.[/su_box]

Executive Director, CARPHA, Dr. C. James Hospedales emphasised that prevention and control were fundamental in order to prevent transmission of the virus.  He said: “The best way to protect yourself from this disease is to avoid mosquito bites and to prevent mosquitoes breeding in and around your home environment.”

In this regard, CARPHA is urging the public to inspect their homes and yards weekly, and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites indoors and outdoors by keeping water drums and barrels tightly covered, and throwing out stagnant water from flower vases, old tyres, and other containers that might act as breeding sites.

Dr. Hospedales revealed that CARPHA would launch a mobile game called Zap-a-‘quito, to assist in educating the public, particularly children, on the Aedes aegypti mosquito and its potential breeding sites, at a vector-borne diseases workshop, which will hosted by CARPHA next month.

An action pictogram to aid managing your environment can also be downloaded from the CARPHA website (http://carpha.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/CARPHA-YARD-POSTER-2.pdf) and used as a checklist. Members of the public can protect themselves from mosquito bites by wearing long-sleeved clothing or long pants, using insect repellents, and sleeping under mosquito nets. (Excerpted from CARPHA Press Release)