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Search for Chikungunya virus in Amerindian Villages turns up dengue cases
Continued efforts to monitor the impact of the Chikungunya virus in the Berbice area recently, saw health officials rushing to the Amerindian villages of Siparuta and Orealla along the Corentyne River. However instead of finding the virus, which was first detected in these parts a few weeks ago, health officials uncovered cases of Dengue Fever.
The Aedes Aegypti mosquito which is capable of transmitting both the Chikungunya virus and dengue fever
Reports of a spike in vomiting and fever cases in the two areas saw the Ministry engaging action since it was believed that the virus had spread. However, this publication was reliably informed that eight cases of Dengue Fever were confirmed – six in Orealla and two in Siparuta.
Nevertheless, blood samples were taken from several persons with symptoms including fever to be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CAPRHA) in Trinidad for further testing.
Guyana has thus far been able to confirm 14 cases of the Chikungunya virus which first infiltrated the Caribbean during the latter part of last year. The confirmed cases were all found in sections of Region Six, including Canje, New Amsterdam and Port Mourant.
Reports had also surfaced of a suspected Chikungunya related death at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital but this has since been dispelled.
Since the virus’ entry into this country, close to 200 samples have been sent to the CARPHA for further testing, as Guyana does not have the capacity to test for the Chikungunya virus.
The virus is manifested with, among other symptoms, fever, joint and muscle pains similar to Dengue Fever. And like Dengue Fever, it is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is prevalent along Guyana’s Coast.
Among the efforts that have been engaged by the Health Ministry to tackle the virus are intensified vector control activities including fogging, spearheaded by the Ministry’s Vector Control Unit and monitoring of the country’s ports of entry. The Ministry has also elicited the involvement of its Veterinary Public Health Unit since animals are also known to be reservoirs for the virus.
Moreover, through its awareness efforts, the Ministry has been encouraging people across the country to ensure that they keep their surroundings clean and dispose of receptacles such as old tyres, containers and other things that can accommodate stagnant water. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito is known to breed in relatively fresh water.
It is believed that the virus’ entry into Guyana was aided by travellers.
Fogging being done in Berbice as part of the vector control activities
Guyana has been on high alert ever since reports of the virus surfaced in the Caribbean last year. On December 12 last year, CARPHA was informed of 10 transmitted confirmed cases on the French side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin.
Since then, more than 1,800 confirmed cases were reported from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Martinique Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Barthelemy, Saint Martin and more recently Suriname.
Three confirmed resulting deaths were reported by Martinique and Saint Martin.
“With the introduction of this new virus, all of the countries started to monitor their situations…so we had several things going on,” said Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud. Among these, he said, were moves to improve regular surveillance systems, whereby intensified efforts were made to monitor, on a daily basis, cases of fever syndrome: including fever with rash and fever with joint pain.
Since there is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, Dr Persaud has disclosed that patient management is focused on relieving symptoms.
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