Zika clean-up action in Bequia

Following the first laboratory confirmation of the Zika virus disease here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, three sets of workers were deployed to the Grenadines last weekend.

The workers cleaned, fogged and provided the relevant support, as needed.

The Zika specific psychological support services have been activated and can be accessed, if needed, a release from the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the {{more}}Environment said.

National clean-up campaigns have continued throughout the country, organized by community groups, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

A major island-wide clean-up campaign in Bequia last weekend, February 27 and 28, was deemed a success, with significant participation from islanders, CWSA, BRAGSA and the MOHWE Vector Control Unit. This clean-up activity in Bequia was led by Action Bequia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment.

There was also a similar clean-up effort in the North Leeward health district, coordinated by the community groups and health personnel from the area.

Other subsequent clean-up activities will continue simultaneously across St Vincent and the Grenadines. Additional measures, aimed at source reduction and containment of the Zika virus, include household inspections, fogging, educational initiatives in schools, churches and communities, among others.

The Ministry is soliciting the support of the entire population of St Vincent and the Grenadines in this regard.

Chief medical officer Dr Simone Keizer Beache is encouraging the public to work even more closely with the Ministry in the various activities to clean up SVG and fight the mosquito, which is the source of the problem. She is also again reinforcing the important measures of source reduction and vector control.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment has been officially informed by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that it will be placed on the CDC Travel watch list. The CDC has indicated that they will update their Travel Notice website to include St Vincent and the Grenadines among the areas listed as having Zika virus circulation.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment says it will continue to monitor the situation and will keep the nation apprised of all information as it unfolds. The Ministry uses this opportunity to remind the nation that our health is a shared responsibility and that we must all do our part to minimize the impact of the Zika virus on SVG.