“Zika
virus has been detected in Brazil and it was expected that it was just a matter
of time before it arrived in the Caribbean Community. This is because we have
abundant travel in and out of the region and we also expect that it is going to
spread”
CARPHA’s Executive
director, Dr James Hospedales, commenting on the confirmation of five cases of
the Zika Virus in a CARICOM Territory in the Caribbean
It's
official dear reader; the Zika Virus is in the Caricom Region.
So
says CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency) which on November 09, 2015 confirmed
five (5) case of Zika virus in a territory of the Caribbean Community as
reported in the article “Zika
Virus Reaches the Caribbean Community”, Published on Nov 12, 2015, The Trinidad Express.
Here's
the confirmation straight from the mouth of CARPHA’s Executive director, Dr
James Hospedales.
Dr
James Hospedales urged the public to be vigilant of the presence of the Aedes
Aegypti mosquito and eliminate any potential breeding sites for the mosquito
that can also carry Dengue Fever and Chikungunya.
He
also announced the launching of an mobile game called Zap-a-‘quito at a vector-borne diseases
workshop to be hosted by CARPHA in December 2015 as reported in the article “5
confirmed cases of Zika virus in Caricom region”, published Thursday,
November 12, 2015, The Jamaica
Observer .
 |
The
game is geared at educating children, about the Aedes Aegypti mosquito and its
potential breeding sites in a bid to educate them as well as adults as to the
seriousness of this disease threat.
So
Jamaica may be that CARICOM Territory that CARPHA cannot mention? Or is it
another Caribbean territory?
CARPHA 5 Case of Zika
Virus in the Caribbean - Why Zap-a-‘quito needed to educate people about Zika
Virus
CARPHA’s
Executive director, Dr James Hospedales did not specify which country has the
five cases, albeit it I had to hazard a guess, I’d say Jamaica.
This
based on the fact that consultant congenital cardiologist Dr Sandra
Williams-Phillips has reported treating twelve (12) persons with symptoms of
the Zika Virus in Jamaica as noted in my blog article
entitled “12
Jamaicans infected with Zika Virus - Why Zika Virus is already Spreading in
Jamaica due to Climate Change”.
We're
awfully close to another country, the Dominica Republic, that had a single
confirmed case of Zika Virus in June 2015 as reported in my blog article
entitled “Zika
Virus in Caribbean as Dominica Republic Girl infected - Why Zika Virus will
reach Jamaica and How to prepare using Citronella Soap and Vitamin C”.
Good
to note that El Salvador has the Zika Virus!
El
Salvador's Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Espinoza, after initially denying the
presence of the Zika Virus in their country, has finally confirmed its presence
as noted in the article “El
Salvador reports ‘suspect’ Zika virus cases”, published November 10, 2015
by Robert Herriman, Outbreak News Today.
 |
Unfortunately,
the details do not match up; they’re not a member of the CARICOM Community and
they have a total of nine (9) Zika Virus cases, not five (5).
But
it also indicates the spread of this virus from the same family as Chikungunya
and Dengue is slowly moving northward from Colombia and Brazil, with nine
confirmed cases in Colombia between 8 October and 16 October 2015 as reported
in the article “Zika
virus infection – Brazil and Colombia”, published 21 October 2015, WHO.
So
clearly, with frequently travel from Latin American into the CARICOM region,
this development was bound to happen.
CARPHA moving slowly on
Zika virus - How to protect yourself against Zika Virus
Still,
the fact that CARPHA is taking its own sweet time to roll out an App to educate
people about the symptoms of the Zika Virus, which is similar to the
Chikungunya Virus but milder.
The
symptoms manifest within three (3) to twelve (12) days after the first bite by
an infected Aedes Aegypti mosquito. Symptoms will last for four (4) to seven
(7) days after the initial infection. The infected experience mild
Chikungunya-like symptoms that last for up to four (4) weeks or longer:
1.
Conjunctivitis
2.
Fever
3.
Headache
4.
Joint and muscle pain
5.
Rash
6.
Swelling of the lower limbs
7.
Weakness
You'll
need to have a diet rich in Vitamin C to adequately boost your immune system
against the debilitating effect of the Zika Virus as explained in my blog article
entitled “Zika
Virus is coming to Jamaica – Zero MOH Preparedness for Chikungunya Part II but
Mosquito Repellant and Vitamin C works”.
This
as it'll still affect individuals with weak immune system i.e. babies, children
suffering from an illness or elderly persons with other health problems.
Please
note that Vitamin C is not a panacea for all diseases; it has to be a regular
part of your diet to boost your immune system and make it able to withstand
viral infections 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”.
 |
Prevention
is still key, as by reducing the breeding sites for the Aedes Aegypti mosquito,
you can reduce the spread of the Zika Virus as show above in the CARPHA Yard
Poster.
You
can also prevent yourself from getting bitten by disease carrying Aedes Aegypti
mosquito by taking the following precautions:
1. Wearing
long-sleeved clothing or long pants
2. Using
DEET insect repellents
3. Sleeping
under mosquito nets
To
quote CARPHA’s Executive Director Dr. C. James Hospedales in the article “Zika
virus reaches CARICOM; five cases confirmed”, published November 12 2015, Caribbean 360, no mosquitoes bites is
the best policy, quote: “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.”
Once
you do this, whichever island the Zika Virus happens to be in, you can increase
your chances of recovering quickly from the effects of the illness.
Here’s
the link:
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