KINGSTON, Jamaica, May 20 2015 – Jamaica health officials are warning against an outbreak of the mosquito-borne Zika virus.
A statement from the Ministry of Health said that World Health Assembly (WHA) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) have warned the region to take precautions against the disease.
“The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads the Zika virus is generally found in and around places where people inhabit. Persons are urged to search for and destroy mosquito breeding sites by getting rid of old tyres and containers in which water can settle, punching holes in tins before disposing, and covering large drums, barrels and tanks holding water, “ said Permanent Secretary Dr Kevin Harvey, who is part of the Jamaica delegation at the WHA in Geneva.
“The Ministry of Health is taking this potential threat very seriously. I urge Jamaicans to do their part to prevent mosquito breeding and so help to reduce any possibility of the introduction of the Zika virus into the island. There is no specific vaccine or treatment for the virus and so personal responsibility is key,” he said.
The Zika virus is similar to dengue with symptoms which include fever, joint and muscle pain, conjunctivitis, headache, weakness, rash, and swelling of the lower limbs.
After the bite of an infected mosquito, symptoms usually appear following the incubation period of three to 12 days. The symptoms last for four to seven days.
The Zika virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito – the same mosquito that transmits chikungunya and dengue.
