Why 15 Zika Virus cases means possible Clarendon cases as Zika spreads Westward

“We reported it to the health department, and the public health people came and fogged our schools and gave the students tips on protecting themselves”

Principal of the Vere Technical High School Dr Henrietta Stewart commenting on students coming down with Zika Virus-like symptoms

The Zika Virus has come to Clarendon. Already, there is panic in the streets of Lionel Town.

This as many resident of the community of the south coast of Clarendon have been reporting since to the Lionel Town Health Centre as reported in the article “ZIKV Seemingly On The Rise In Clarendon”, published Tuesday May 31, 2016 by Shanique Samuels, The Jamaica Gleaner.

To be specific, the people coming in with Zika Virus-like symptoms are from the following parts of southern Clarendon:

1.         Waterlane

2.         Lionel Town

3.         Nineteen Mile

4.         Sandy Bay

Students from the following schools are also reporting symptoms of the Zika Virus:

1.      Hayes Primary 

2.      Vere Technical High

3.      Green Park Primary

4.      Junior High School

The symptoms of the Zika Virus, take four (4) to seven (7) days after the initial infection to manifest.

They can last for up to four (4) weeks or longer and are not much different from the symptoms of the common cold:

1.      Conjunctivitis

2.      Fever

3.      Headache

4.      Joint and muscle pain

5.      Rash

6.      Swelling of the lower limbs

7.      Weakness

So, so the people of southern Clarendon have the Zika Virus?

15 Zika Virus Cases confirmed - Clarendon victims indicate the Virus is spreading westward

Medical officer of health for the parish Dr Kimberly Scarlett Campbell is awaiting the results of blood tests to prove that these persons do indeed have the Zika Virus.

However, she doesn’t have to wait long; the Ministry of Health has confirmed fifteen (15) more Zika Virus cases as reported in the article “15 Zika Cases Confirmed”, Published Wednesday June 1, 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Of these fifteen (15) cases, ten (10) are in St Thomas and St. Catherine, which means the remaining five (5) may be in Clarendon.

Seven (7) parishes in Jamaica have been listed as having a high risk of a Zika Virus outbreak.

1.      Kingston

2.      St Andrew

3.      St Catherine

4.      St Thomas

5.      Clarendon

6.      Manchester

7.      Westmoreland

I've long concluded that there is a Ministry of Health cover-up game being played out reminiscent of the Chikungunya virus of 2014 as per my analysis in my blog article entitled “Why the Ministry of Health is covering up Local Transmission of Zika Virus in Jamaica”

However, Minister of Health, Dr. Christopher Tufton states that there may be more Zika virus cases than the officially confirmed fifteen (15) as per the audio clip below

There are even reports of a pregnant woman who has the Zika Virus as reported in the article “Gov't Declines To Confirm Reports Of A Pregnant Woman's Zika Diagnosis”, Published Wednesday June 1, 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Good to note that Dr. Christopher Tufton and his Health Ministry are still trying to verify these various reports of Zika Virus. This is via using their recently upgraded National Virology Reference Laboratory at the UHWI (University Hospital of the West Indies) as noted in my blog article entitled “How Ministry of Health ramping up as Chikungunya, Zika, Dengue and H1N1 attack Jamaican at Champs”. 

She may become the first woman to give birth to a child that shows signs of microcephaly, which is now connected to the Zika Virus as noted in my blog article entitled “How the Zika Virus now connected to Microcephaly, acute myelitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome”.

 

If Clarendon is the latest set of victims, this means that the Zika Virus is spreading westward. It'll only be a matter of time before we hear of official cases from these far-flung parishes.

Preventing Zika Virus - Irradiated Mosquitoes and Essential oils may be the key

The Zika Virus is especially dangerous to the following vulnerable groups:

1.      Babies

2.      Children suffering from an illness

3.      Elderly persons with other health problems

Preventing the Aedes Aegypti mosquito from breeding and reducing Aedes Aegypti mosquito bites be best achieved by:

1.      Wearing long-sleeved clothing or long pants

2.      Using DEET insect repellents

3.      Sleeping under mosquito nets

4.      Removing or covering container that can hold water

Mosquito Repellent Laundry Soap and the Blue Power Castile Soap, both of which are infused with citronella oil, cannot stop the Zika Virus as reported in my blog article entitled “Why the Blue Power Mosquito Repellent Laundry Soap and Castile Soap cannot stop Zika Virus Infections”, as the effect wears off too quickly.

You stand a better chance of making your own insect repellant from essential oils as reported in my MICO Was blog article entitled “How to make DEET-free mosquito repellant from Essential Oils and iso-propyl alcohol”. 

Reducing the breeding places for the Aedes Aegypti mosquito is crucial to controlling the spread of the Zika Virus as shown in the CARPHA Yard Poster below.

Possibly too, the Ministry of Health's plan to use irradiated mosquitoes may also work as explained in my blog article entitled “How Ministry of Health andIAEA using Radioactivity to reduce Aedes Aegypti Mosquito Population”.

Homeowners can try using the distilled essence of Garden croton, Tawa-tawa and Lemon grass, which 17-y-o Jerouen Paul Lumabao from the Philippines has demonstrated to have killing power over mosquito larvae as reported in my blog article entitled “How Garden croton, Tawa-tawaand Lemon grass can be used to kill Aedes Aegypti Mosquito Larvae”.

Finally boosting your immune system by taking Vitamin C and Vitamin B Complex is the way to go.