By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
ALTHOUGH no cases of the chikungunya virus have been detected in the Bahamas, the virus is “likely” to arrive and infect people in the country, according to a local health official.
Dr Delon Brennen, chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health, told The Tribune yesterday 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. “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 impacted 17 Caribbean countries, including Haiti and Cuba, where the number of cases now tops 189,000, according to Pan American Health reports.
In preparation for the virus’ likely arrival to the Bahamas, health care providers in public and private sectors have been engaged in extensive training. They are being taught how the virus is transmitted, the ideal forms of treatment against it and how testing procedures should take place.
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.
Last month, 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.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 10 months ago
Just another side benefit of, among other things, our successive governments' failures to police our borders over the past 40 years, resulting in the Haitianization of the Bahamas. Our tourism industry should take a big hit on this scary virus once an epidemic outbreak occurs here and it gets plastered all over the internet, including U.S. State Dept. websites.
GrassRoot 9 years, 10 months ago
The risk of tourists bringing yellow fever, malaria etc. to the Bahamas is probably bigger than from legal or illegal immigrants. I wonder whether all Bahamians vacationing in Panama get immunized against yellow fever before they travel - just to make one example.
B_I_D___ 9 years, 10 months ago
It's sweeping through the entire Caribbean and almost 100% certainty we will get hit with it. As stated in the article, 17 different countries in the Caribbean, including Turks and Caicos...and the US as well...without a doubt, we will get it. Let the fun begin! Government needs to start fogging on a regular basis, try to knock some of these little critters out of the air ASAP...as residents we need to do our part as well and make sure there is nothing on our property that is collecting water in which these mosquitoes can breed. Any random pots or buckets or containers, turn them upside down or make sure they are emptied out on a regular basis.
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