PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Health authorities here have ruled out the mosquito-borne Zika virus as being responsible for the seven cases of babies being affected by the Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS).

The Ministry of Health, in a statement, noted that it wanted to address the concerns of the public following a news report that indicated seven babies were affected by GBS as a result of the Zika virus.

It said, “while there have been seven cases of GBS in Trinidad (and Tobago) for 2016, tests have ruled out Zika as the cause and all of these patients were adults”.

The ministry said that GBS is a sickness of the nervous system in which a person’s own immune system damages the nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes, paralysis.

“While several countries experiencing Zika outbreaks have recently reported increases in GBS, it is important to note that there are several other medical conditions that can cause Guillain-Barre Syndrome,” the statement added.

It said investigations into the link between GBS and Zika continue worldwide, and while current research suggests that GBS is strongly linked to Zika, only a small number of people with Zika virus infection get Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

The Ministry of Health said that it was stressing the importance of source reduction in the prevention of the Zika virus, including the disposal of all unwanted containers/items in the yard or environs which can collect water and become mosquito-breeding grounds.