SVG records second confirmed case of Zika

St Vincent and the Grenadines has recorded its second laboratory confirmed case of Zika.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, in a release issued yesterday, said the recorded case is a 31-year-old female from the Kingstown area, who recently returned to the country from overseas.{{more}}

The release said because of the woman’s history of recent travel and the onset of symptoms being a day after her return to the state, it has been concluded that this case is not an instance of local transmission, but rather one that was obtained abroad.

“The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment continues to intensify its efforts in a targeted approach to effectively tackle the Aedes Agepti mosquito and the Zika Virus. Consequently, persons here are being urged to continue to take the necessary steps to protect themselves, as well as to step up to the plate with the Ministry of Health, as it ramps up efforts to fight the mosquitoes and the zika virus with the national clean-up campaigns. The Ministry has taken precautionary measures and will continue to take the necessary steps to minimize the probability of a major outbreak,” the release said.

Chief medical officer Dr Simone Keizer- Beache said there is increasing evidence to support the claim that the zika virus causes microcephaly and stressed that all Vincentians should continue to protect themselves by using insect repellants, wearing long clothes and engaging in vigorous source reduction measures in their environment at home, work and school.

She encouraged the public to work even more closely with the Ministry of Health in the various activities to clean up SVG and fight the mosquito, which is the source of the problem.