SVG on travel watch list for Zika

St Vincent and the Grenadines has been placed on a travel watch list by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now that there has been a laboratory confirmation of Zika virus here.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment said in a release that it has been officially informed by the CDC that they will update their Travel Notice website to include SVG as being among the areas listed as having Zika virus circulation.{{more}} The Travel Notice is currently at Watch-Level 2, which means “practice enhanced precautions.”

Special precautions are recommended for pregnant women, who are advised to consider postponing travel, and for women of childbearing age who are planning to become pregnant, who are advised to consult with their doctor before traveling. All travelers are urged to, as usual, strictly adhere to mosquito bite precautions.

As of March 1, 2016, the initial case which was confirmed on February 24 remains the only laboratory confirmed case here in SVG.

According to the release, the ministry of health and its partners have been commended by regional health institutions for the efficient way in which SVG has dealt with the notification of and subsequent response to the first Laboratory confirmation of Zika virus in SVG.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Simone Keizer Beache is encouraging the public to work even more closely with the Ministry in the various activities to clean up SVG and fight the mosquito, which is the source of the problem. She is also again reinforcing the important measures of source reduction and vector control.