The Tribune

THE Ministry of Health has confirmed that there is at least one reported case of the chikungunya virus in this country.

The ministry released a statement over the weekend that said that a tourist from the Dominican Republic who arrived in the Bahamas on June 29 was admitted to the Princess Margaret Hospital the next day.

The statement said that subsequent test results, which hospital officials received on Friday, revealed the man was positive for the virus. Health officials said the tourist is still being treated for his illness.

On June 23, before there was a confirmed case of the virus on the island, Dr Delon Brennen, chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health told The Tribune that it would be improbable for the Bahamas to escape infections from the fast-spreading virus.

“It’s impossible to predict when, but it’s spreading throughout the Caribbean and has come as high as Turks and Caicos island,” he said last month. “With all the travel and trade throughout the Caribbean, it’s likely to come here.”

Cases of the virus have already been detected in the United States. Dr Brennen said whether many of this country’s residents are affected will depend partly on the quality of precautionary measures they take.

“If the public protects itself as we did during the dengue (outbreak), we could mitigate against lots of cases,” he said. “You have to protect yourself. Get rid of areas that would store water and create less breeding ground for mosquitos in general.”

Like the dengue fever, the chikungunya virus is spread through mosquito bites. The virus causes fever, joint pain, headaches and a rash. Residents are encouraged to use pest repellents and to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants as protection.

The virus, which is seldom lethal, has affected 17 Caribbean countries, including Haiti and Cuba, where the number of cases now tops 189,000, according to Pan American Health reports.

The Department of Environmental Health is partnering with the Ministry of Health to address the issue and has been treating water areas and conducting an education campaign.

In May, Environmental Health Director Melanie McKenzie told The Tribune particular attention is being paid to the southern islands of the Bahamas where residents from affected countries have been travelling.

Her department has been spraying larvicide in certain areas as a precaution.