ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Thursday September 18, 2014, CMC – A medical practitioner has said that the Chikungunya virus had reached epidemic level in Grenada and is urging the population to dispel the myth that the disease is spread by other means except the aedes egypti mosquito. Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has called on nationals to be compassionate towards those affected by the virus. “It’s massive! It is not hitting one side of the country or one group of persons. Everyone is going through it. It is a serious issue and we have to show love and compassion.” Dr. Francis Martin said the virus has reached epidemic proportions with close to 60 per cent of the population manifesting symptoms which he said could be linked to the fact that people are refusing to accept that the virus is spread by the mosquito. “As a people we try to shift blame, or shift things because it removes our responsibility…but somehow the idea of people saying it’s not mosquito it feels as though people want to take responsibility away from themselves that they are the ones to keep the place clean.” Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample) He said the virus is at its peak right now with the prospects of it worsening before it gets better and that perpetuating the myth that the virus is spread through other means is “delaying the response that ought to be taken to get rid of the breeding sites of this mosquito”. Speaking on a special television programme of the Government Information Service (GIS) on Tuesday night, the medical practitioner warned Grenadians to take proactive measure to avoid being bitten by the mosquito, adding that though the initial symptoms can be severe, the relapse can be even worse and those symptoms can affect a patient for up to one year. “The acute Chikungunya can be bad but the relapse can be worse; stay protected and avoid yourself from getting Chikungunya in the first place.” Read more: caribbean360/news/grenada-doctor-claims-chikungunya-virus-now-at-epidemic-level#ixzz3Dqf1Oatt
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 09:56:43 +0000
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