Jamaica faces first case of Zika virus
Country boosts prevention, detection efforts after a child recovers from symptoms
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO— The Jamaican Ministry of Health has confirmed the Caribbean country’s first case of the Zika virus.
A ministry statement released on Saturday says a 4-year-old child has recovered after contracting Zika.
It adds that authorities have stepped up prevention and detection efforts in the Portmore, St. Catherine area where the child lives.
Caribbean Public Health Agency lab tests for the virus came back positive on Friday afternoon.
Authorities are investigating the case in hopes of determining the source of infection.
The child began showing symptoms on Jan. 17 and had earlier travelled to Texas.
Jamaica’s Minister of Health will provide a full update at a news briefing on Monday.
Pregnant women and others on the island are being urged to take precautions to avoid mosquitoes, which transmit the disease. It’s believed Zika may be linked to a birth defect called microencephaly, which causes babies to be born with smaller than normal heads and can lead to problems with brain and mobility development.
Elsewhere, the Zika virus continues its relentless march.
In the first three weeks of January, El Salvador recorded 2,474 new sus- pected Zika cases, nearly half of them in the capital, San Salvador. Many infected pregnant women live in the capital’s densely packed southern neighbourhoods.
Health Canada has advised pregnant women or those attempting to be come pregnant to postpone travel to areas affected by the outbreak if possible, and to avoid exposure to mosquitoes if travel can’t be avoided. Many Canadian airlines and travel companies are offering no-cost itinerary changes for travellers affected.
In response to the rapid spread of the virus in Latin America, Asian governments have issued travel advisories in a bid to contain the disease.
Countries including Japan, Malaysia and Australia have all issued travel alerts, and asked people who display symptoms after travelling to affected regions to report to health officials.