Like its neighbours in the Caribbean, The Bahamas is trying to contain the spread of chikungunya amongst its people. To this end, the Minister of the Environment and Housing Kenred Dorsett said that public health officials in The Bahamas have been told to contain the virus as a matter of urgency. Meanwhile CARPHA has confirmed at least one case on the island of St. Kitts.
“The Department of Environmental Health Services is aware of this threat to the health of the population. In January 2014, DEHS implemented a heightened monitoring program for the Aedes aegypti mosquito at all ports of entry in The Bahamas in response to the level of chikungunya virus transmission in Latin America and the Caribbean. This activity will continue,” said Dorsett in a statement.
The ramped up programme will include intensified surveillance and fogging to ensure that the disease does on spread. On July 4th, the island recorded and confirmed its first case with CARPHA confirming the first case in St. Kitts on July 2, 2014. The region has been hit hard with spreading chikungunya ever since late December 2013.
The virus is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito which also spreads the dengue fever.
Speaking to the issue of public education, Dorsett also indicated that this would be stepped up.
“The ministry of the environment and housing and the DEHS will continue to work with the ministry of health to contain the disease and to ensure adequate and optimum treatment of those who may be infected,” Dorsett added.
Unlike dengue, chikungunya is not usually fatal but the elderly and babies are considered vulnerable as well as those who already have serious illnesses. In 2011, over 1500 people in the Bahamas were said to have contracted dengue fever.
CARPHA says that there over 4 000 confirmed cases in the Caribbean with possibly more unreported and unconfirmed cases.
The chikungunya virus has spread rapidly throughout the Caribbean and PAHO says that at least 21 people have died from the disease.
