Health Minister Fuad Khan said while there have been no cases of Chikungunya in the country, the mosquito-borne virus is a big concern for the Ministry. Chikungunya was first detected in the Caribbean in December 2013 and has spread to 14 countries in the region including Aruba, French Guiana, St Barthelemy, Anguilla, Antigua and the Dominican Republic. Its symptoms are similar to dengue including fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. Khan noted that the virus, which was spread by the Aedes Egypti mosquito, was “coming closer to home.” He said his Ministry was working with Insect Vector Control to ensure properties were inspected and spraying for mosquitoes occurs. However, he stressed it was up to the population to clean up around their homes, ensure there was no stagnant water nearby and generally avoid leaving breeding grounds for the mosquitoes. “If you have a problem with dengue, then you will have a problem with Chikungunya and if people in the country do not heed the call to get rid of these breeding grounds, unfortunately we would face the consequences,” he said. Khan assured the hospitals were ready to treat with infections but stated that prevention was better than cure. He added that while the virus itself was not necessarily fatal, anyone with a compromised immune system who contracts the virus could further contract and succumb to secondary diseases such as meningitis and pneumonia. In addition, Khan stated that 2014 was the World Health Organisation’ year of vaccination and so the Ministry was promoting vaccinations, especially for the persons who wish to travel to Brazil for the World Cup. The Ministry would begin its vaccination drive today from 10 am to 3 pm at Trincity Mall, Trincity as part of the Ministry of Health’s Vaccination Outreach. The programme is also scheduled to visit Gulf City, La Romaine and MovieTowne, Mucurapo soon. Available to the public, free of charge, would be vaccines for Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Hepatitis B, Yellow Fever, Tetanus and Influenza.
Posted on: Sat, 03 May 2014 11:05:30 +0000
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