MINISTER of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson says that Jamaica has not yet peaked in terms of the expected spread of the chikungunya epidemic.

Dr Ferguson told the House of Representatives Tuesday that parishes, including St Thomas, that had suffered the epidemic earliest have already peaked and are now seeing a downward trend.

“But, as you go further west you are going to be seeing more persons affected,” Ferguson said.

However, he explained that it was not the movement of mosquitoes that was causing the spread, but the movement of people.

“A person who is infected in St Thomas leaves and goes to Montego Bay, is bitten by the Aedes aegypti mosquito in Montego Bay and, after eight days, can infect someone there. So we will continue to get the spread, but we have to continue to manage the source reduction while we kill the adult mosquitoes,” he said.

He added that, in terms of the aerial spraying, there was still concern about it as it relates to people with respiratory illnesses and beekeepers who have suffered losses. He said that discussions were still taking place.

“In fact, I have been approached by private sector persons who want to give support. (But) I am still awaiting the best advice, before making such a decision. So it is not a closed thing,” he stated.

Ferguson admitted that his ministry has been considering the use of genetically-modified mosquitoes to get rid of the virus carrying vectors. He said that it is something the ministry has been pursuing with Jamaica’s High Commission in London and is looking at that possibility.

He said that his ministry was also moving to strengthen its public relations department, as well as co-operating with the Jamaica Defence Force and the medical doctors’ association to assist with public education.

Opposition spokesman on health, Dr Kenneth Baugh, said that by far the most important thing is the extent to which the country is prepared and can be mobilised, at short notice, to control the spread.