The Cayman Islands remains free of the zika virus, public health officials said, after a recent suspected case appeared to be due to sexual transmission.
Dr Samuel Williams-Rodriguez, the acting medical health officer, explained that a tourist from Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, who had visited Cayman and then later tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus was more than likely infected by her partner, who is from St Maarten, where there is a confirmed zika outbreak, after the couple visited Grand Cayman together.
Following an investigation into the suspected case, public health officials believe this is a case of sexually transmitted zika virus and not a transmission in the Cayman Islands.
“As the case was diagnosed in the Netherlands, it will be reported as an imported case for the Netherlands and not the Cayman Islands. The Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU) is fully informed of the details surrounding this investigation and continues to take all the necessary measures to intensify vector control in the area where the couple stayed,” Willams stated. “I want to make it unequivocally clear that as of 7 June 2016, there are no confirmed cases of zika virus in the Cayman Islands.”
However, he encouraged all residents who have returned from a country where there is an outbreak of the zika virus or anyone who presents with symptoms such as skin rash, conjunctivitis and fever, to alert their general practitioners.
In this case, the woman, who lives in Holland, had visited the Cayman Islands from 13 April to 18 May. Her partner, who lives in St Maarten, also joined her there for 11 days. During that time he presented with symptoms typical of the zika virus but did not seek medical attention. The woman’s symptoms, which were mild, appeared around the same time but she did not seek medical attention locally either.
After she travelled back to the Netherlands on 18 May, she became ill again, with zika symptoms developing a few days later. She then sought medical attention in Amsterdam and tested positive for zika.
“At this stage, taking into consideration her medical history and the visit from her partner from a country with a confirmed zika virus outbreak, coupled with the fact that they stayed together for a period of one week after the onset of his symptoms, we conclude that this is a presumptive case of sexually transmitted zika virus,” said Williams.
He added that, while the zika virus is mainly transmitted through the Aedes aegypti mosquito, other modes of transmission, in particular sexual transmission, have been documented, as in this particular circumstance. Though the numbers are small at this stage, there is strong epidemiological evidence of sexual transmission. All men returning from places where local transmission of zika virus is known to occur are encouraged to adopt safer sexual practices or consider abstinence for at least four weeks after return.
