Zika Virus is coming to Jamaica – Zero MOH Preparedness for Chikungunya Part II but Mosquito Repellant and Vitamin C works

Fellow Jamaicans, there is a new Virus in town and it’s NOT Chikungunya Virus, for which a good dose of Vitamin C can protect you as explained in my blog article entitled “Vitamin C and the Chikungunya Virus - How to increase your Vitamin C Intake, Glutathione and Interferon by White Blood Cells”.

Rather the new Virus is called ZikV and interestingly enough, it is also carried by the same Aedes Aegypti Mosquito as reported in the article “New Mosquito-Borne Virus ZIKV Threatens Jamaica, Authorities Urge Precaution”, Published Tuesday May 19, 2015, The Jamaica Gleaner. 

Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Dr Kevin Harvey announced on Monday May 18^th 2015 that an outbreak of the Zika Virus or ZikV was already in full swing in Brazil since April 2015. So basically I have to be on the alert for either persons travelling from Brazil or speaking Portuguese.

For those keeping track, this is less than a year after the Chikungunya Virus had ravaged Jamaica, leaving many questioning the effectiveness of the response and the level of preparedness by the Minister of Health, Dr. Fenton Ferguson as per my blog article entitled “31 infected during Jamaican Chikungunya Virus Epidemic - 113 Deaths in the Caribbean as Jamaica grapples with Chikungunya Virus Outbreak” .  

And now, we STILL have no official word on whether or not this current Chikungunya Virus outbreak from 2014 is over as pointed out in my blog article entitled “Minister of Health comes clean on Chikungunya Virus Epidemic - 35 Official Cases as 60 percent possibly Infected and Medicines running low”.

So what are the symptoms of this Zika Virus that’s DEFINATELY sure to come to Jamaica?

And are we prepared for YET ANOTHER viral infection that is mosquito borne, given the current state of our Health Sector as pointed out in my blog article entitled “JMDA laments bad conditions in Public Hospitals - How MOH Audit will reveal Doctors and Pharmacists stealing Supplies for Private Practice”?

Zika Virus Origins and Symptoms – Chikungunya Part II but without long Term Symptoms

Interestingly or rather not surprisingly, the Zika Virus is from the same family as the Chikungunya Virus and the Virus that causes Dengue Fever. 

The symptoms are also eerily similar to Chikungunya:

1.      Fever

2.      Joint and muscle pain

3.      Conjunctivitis

4.      Headache

5.      Weakness

6.      Rash

7.      Swelling of the lower limbs

Once bitten by an Aedes aegypti mosquito  carrying the Zika Virus, these symptoms will appear within three (3) to twelve (12) days and the infection can last as long as four (4) to seven (7) days.

The Zika Virus has its origins from Africa back in 1947. A Rhesus monkey in the Zika Forest, Uganda was first identified with the Virus as noted in the article “Mosquito-borne Virus Zika threatens C’bean”, published Tuesday, May 19, 2015, The Jamaica Observer .

Humans soon caught it in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania and since then there has been a series of outbreaks since then:

1.      Island of Yap (2007)

2.      French Polynesia (2013)

3.      Brazil (2015)

As with the Chikungunya Virus, there is no know vaccine, albeit since its from the same family, a good dose of vitamin C should help to protect you from its effects as pointed out in my blog article entitled “Vitamin C and the Chikungunya Virus - How to increase your Vitamin C Intake, Glutathione and Interferon by White Blood Cells”.

Jamaica's Preparedness for the Zika Virus – Non-Existent as we’ll be infected yet again

Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Dr. Kevin Harvey claims that the Zika Virus does not kill.

But that was the same thing they said about the Chikungunya Virus and to date there are some questionable deaths related to the illness as analyzed in my blog article entitled “Jamaica's Chikungunya Deaths – 14 Deaths in Jamaica, 183 in the Caribbean with Young, Healthy Deaths difficult to explain”.

Already, Clarendonians and St. Elizabeth peeps are worried about this new Zika Virus threat as we're still dealing with the long term after effects of Chikungunya as noted in the articles “St Bess Fearful Of ZIKV, published Thursday May 21, 2015 by Launtia Cuff, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Clarendonians Worried About ZIKV Threat”, Published Thursday May 21, 2015 by Shanique Samuels, The Jamaica Gleaner.

St. Catherine residents, oddly, are blissfully unaware of the coming danger as reported in the article “Most St Catherine Residents Unaware Of ZIKV”, published Thursday May 21, 2015 by Ruddy Mathison, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This despite being one of the hardest hit parishes and potentially will be again, especially in the Portmore area, where breeding sites for the Aedes Aegypti Mosquito STILL exist despite the cleanup-attempts as noted in my blog article entitled “JA$500 million National Health Emergency Response – 30% of Students absent from School as GOJ FINALLY serious about Chikungunya Epidemic”.

St. Thomas has not forgotten and neither has JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) caretaker for St Thomas Eastern, Delano Seiveright.

He has already issued stern warning to the Minister of Health, Dr. Fenton Ferguson not repeat the mistakes that could have now been learnt from the Chikungunya Virus outbreak of 2014 as reported in the article “Don't repeat CHIKV mistakes with ZIKV, Seiveright urges”, published Tuesday, May 19, 2015, The Jamaica Observer. 

But the people of St. Ann are to be admired, as they’ve heard the clarion call and are gearing up for the worst as reported in the article “We Are Alert And Ready, Says Mayor Gilmore”, published Thursday May 21, 2015 by Carl Gilchrist, The Jamaica Gleaner.

To quote Mayor of St Ann's Bay Desmond Gilmore is to hear a man ready to face the worst, whether the Ministry of Local Government helps him or not: “We are alert and ready to go. The things that we did in our fight against the chik-V are the same things that we need to do in this case, so some of the work is already done. We already trained a team of volunteers, so it's just a matter of finding the resources and getting those persons back in the field. As a council, we have to be proactive”. 

Zika Virus is coming to Jamaica – Stock up on Mosquito Repellant and Vitamin C in all forms

The Ministry of Health seems set to repeat these mistakes, already taking a non-chalant attitude to the possible threat of the Zika Virus.

Already Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Marion Bullock-DuCasse has pointed out that the Zika Virus’s effects are not as long term as Chikungunya or fatal as noted in the article “From Chik-V To ZIKV - Jamaica On High Alert For Another Mosquito-Borne Disease”, Published Wednesday May 20, 2015 by Anastasia Cunningham, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This response suggests that they’re preparing for a repeat of the Chikungunya Virus infection of 2014, as with no cure, they may be looking more on treating the symptoms rather than preventing the illness via drain cleaning beforehand. In other words, Chikungunya Part II!

So what can you do, fellow Jamaicans, seeing as the Ministry of Health is yet to cajole the Ministry of Local Government to start Drain cleaning and spraying for Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoes?

Make sure you've removed all breeding sites for the Aedes Aegypti mosquito in your home and stock up on repellant as explained in my blog article entitled “21 Jamaicans now infected with Chikungunya Virus - DEET and Citronella are Trending Back-to-School Perfumes on the Playground”.

Otherwise, prepare to be bedridden and possibly unable to walk, no matter what the Ministry of Health claims.