CARPHA's 5 Cases of Zika Virus might be Jamaica - Why Zap-a-‘quito needed to educate people about Zika Virus

“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:

CARPHA Yard Poster

Zap-a-‘quito Website