Grenada’s Chief Medical Officer within the Ministry of Well being, Dr Shawn Charles, has confirmed that Chikungunya and Zika – two vector borne viruses which might be transmitted primarily by the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes are at present circulating on the island.
“We’ve got had one constructive end result that we’re verifying with CARPHA,” mentioned Charles who admitted that the outcomes of different samples are pending.
“By the tip of the week we hope to have extra info,” he added.
A number of medical or healthcare suppliers first turned conscious concerning the circulation of the viruses after it was disclosed within the Ministry of Well being’s Epidemiology Surveillance Bulletin for week 43 which is the interval October 21 to 27.
“Preliminary outcomes from CARPHA CMML recognized the presence of Chikungunya and Zika in circulation,” mentioned the report beneath the subtopic outbreaks.
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The CARPHA CMML is the Caribbean Public Well being Company, Medical Microbiology Laboratory which is predicated in Trinidad and Tobago. Amongst its roles is offering correct and dependable providers for surveillance and management of illness in CARPHA Members.
In 2014, Grenada skilled an outbreak of Chikungunya in any other case known as ChicV and a whole bunch of individuals have been affected by the situation which signs features a fever, usually larger than 102°F; Chills; Headache; Muscle ache; Joint ache, swelling, and stiffness, particularly within the mornings; Nausea, vomiting and feeling drained or weak.
The Zika virus which was first recognized in Grenada 2015 can be unfold by mosquitoes and might trigger critical beginning defects. Signs of it embody Rash; Headache; Joint ache; Conjunctivitis (purple eyes) and Muscle ache.
Charles clarified that it’s one constructive case every for each medical situations that share the identical and or related signs like dengue. The totally different virus is just recognized when the related check is carried out on the laboratory.
Grenada has been experiencing an outbreak or a big rise in dengue circumstances which can be transmitted through the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes since Might 2023. In current weeks, the environmental division within the Ministry of Well being has been fogging a number of communities.
The Epidemiology surveillance report additionally exhibits that moreover the circulation of the Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya viruses, different viruses circulating in Grenada the Covid-19 virus in addition to Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2), Rhinovirus, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza 3, & Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
