Minister of Health the Hon. Dr. Perry Gomez, left, addresses the press. Looking on is Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary Harrison Thompson, acting in the capacity of PS/Ministry of Health. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)
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NASSAU, The
Bahamas – Officials at the Ministry of Health and the Department of Public
Health (DPH)
Wednesday reported one confirmed case of the Zika virus Infection
in The Bahamas -- New Providence to be exact.
The
confirmed case was contracted outside of The Bahamas and involved an adult, Bahamian
male who recently traveled to Jamaica.
The male
presented to a private physician at a private medical facility with symptoms
including rash, fever, joint pains and headache. A blood sample was taken for
testing and sent to a reference laboratory. A confirmed positive result was
received on Tuesday, August 9, 2016.
Minister of
Health, the Hon. Dr. Michael Perry Gomez said the adult male has been treated
for the associated symptoms and is recovering.
Dr. Gomez
said healthcare officials at the Ministry of Health and the Department of
Public Health and its Surveillance Unit, in conjunction with officials from the
Department of Environmental Health (DEHS), have been collaborating and will
continue to collaborate on a number of measures aimed at protection and
prevention.
The
continued collaborations will ensure that the established protocols and
follow-ups are undertaken.
“This
gentleman will have a follow-up with our Surveillance Unit as early as today so
that this information is shared as we continue to work with the Bahamian public
as we want them to work with us to keep The Bahamas safe from any potential
threat to our public health,” Dr. Gomez said.
Dr. Glen
Beneby, Chief Medical Officer for the Ministry of Health, said the quick
turn-around in getting a confirmation was as a result of the Ministry’s
public/private collaborations on healthcare matters with key stakeholders.
“We want the
population to be aware and to understand that this is a public health issue and
that together, we will try to stem any significant spread of this condition
throughout the Commonwealth – not just Nassau, but the Family Islands as well.
“Persons
need not panic. The Zika virus infection is of major concern due to the
confirmed association between infection in pregnancy and birth defects such as
Microcephaly. There have also been confirmed cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome
in persons infected with Zika virus.
“What they
should be doing is to be following the established protocols as indicated by
the Ministry of Health, the Department of Public Health, its Surveillance Unit
and the Department of Environmental Health – particularly females at
child-bearing age and persons who are out at especially night -- regarding the
spraying of insect repellant on the skin and following all of the instructions
relating to eliminating the potential for contracting Zika such as eliminating
stagnant water in our communities, particularly with the rain we have had.”
Other forms
of prevention/protection include wearing long-sleeved, light coloured clothing;
completely screening all doors and windows; sleeping under mosquito nets; the
elimination of mosquito breeding sites in and around living spaces by securely
covering domestic water containers such as buckets and barrels; properly
discarding old tires and containers that collect water (for example bottles and
cans) and covering and sealing tanks, soak-a-ways, garbage bins and cisterns.
While Zika
is primarily transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedis aegypti mosquito –
the same mosquito that transmits Dengue, Chikungunya and Yellow Fever viruses –
other modes of transmission have been identified including Mother-to-baby and
through sexual transmission.
“To prevent
sexual transmission, the correct use of condoms at each encounter is advised,”
Dr. Gomez said. “Pregnant women and women planning to be pregnant, should take
to their healthcare provider and pay particular attention to prevention
measures.”
The Health
Minister said further information about Zika can be obtained by contacting the
offices of the National Disease Surveillance Unit at 502-4776, 502-4790,
376-3809 or 376-4705.
Dr. Kathleen
Israel, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO)
Representative in The Bahamas said she supports the efforts being undertaken in
The Bahamas with regards to protection and prevention of the virus at the
individual and community levels.
“You need a
vector, the mosquito, and that is where the prevention is,” Dr. Israel said.
“We need to control the adult vector by protecting ourselves and by spraying
(fogging) and other things that can happen at the community level to deal with
the adult mosquito and then to prevent the mosquito from breeding in your
domestic water supply sources. So the mosquito is what we need to focus on for
prevention.”