PERMANENT Secretary Dr Kevin Harvey says the Ministry of Health will continue to take a proactive approach and is enhancing its preparedness for any possible introduction of the Zika virus into Jamaica.

Dr Harvey, in a statement yesterday, said that the ministry is closely following a reported case of Zika virus in the Dominican Republic, which the Pan American Health Organisation has indicated has not yet been laboratory confirmed.

“We have alerted our regions and parishes to continue to work closely with local government through the parish councils to ensure an integrated approach to controlling the mosquito population which is on the increase subsequent to the recent rains and the current weather patterns being experienced,” Dr Harvey said.

He noted that there has been an increase in mosquito infestation due to the settling of water in drains and other areas.

“We, however, want to thank the public for their interventions and support in destroying breeding sites around the home which reduce the Aedes aegypti vector which is the one that carries diseases such as CHIKV, dengue and ZIKV,” Dr Harvey said.

He added that work will continue in partnership with the parish councils to reduce the general mosquito population and that fogging will be done especially in high-risk areas, but noted that this was a temporar solution and could not, by itself, solve the problem of mosquito breeding.

“We are also therefore calling on the public to not only destroy breeding sites by looking for anything around the home, school, churches and business places that may collect water and either cover it, keep it dry or dispose of it, but also to protect themselves from mosquito bites by using insect repellent containing DEET, putting mesh on windows and doors and wearing long-sleeved clothing where possible,” the permanent secretary said.

The health ministry says that the Zika virus is similar to Dengue Fever, with symptoms which include fever, joint and muscle pain, conjunctivitis, headache, weakness, rash, and swelling of the lower limbs.

After the bite of an infected mosquito, symptoms usually appear following the incubation period of three to 12 days. The symptoms are said to last for four to seven days. No deaths due to the Zika virus have been recorded worldwide to date, according to the health ministry.