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How to Prevent ZIKA: A Few Tips You Should Follow


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Zika Situation in Belize

The Ministry of Health this past weekend conducted a field investigation based on the reported case of Zika by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and based on the provisional data they provided.

The field investigation revealed two local potential cases, one in the Stann Creek District and the other in the Toledo District. A person of interest was also identified from the Cayo District. Samples were taken from the persons in the southern districts and will be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) tomorrow for testing. CARPHA is our Regional Referral Laboratory in Trinidad.

The investigation into these potential cases continues in order to determine the potential source(s). Although new and compelling factors may indicate the presence of Zika, the Ministry is still not able to declare that there is a first local transmission case of Zika in Belize.

All Regional Health Management teams have been debriefed and the Zika plan
for Belize continues to be implemented and is now moving into a new phase as the Ministry continues to learn more of the situation. The Ministry continues to implore the community to take measures to minimize the breeding sites and population of mosquitoes that primarily transmit the disease. Pregnant women and women considering getting pregnant are especially asked to take precautions and try to avoid mosquito bites. Pregnant women are also encouraged to attend regular prenatal clinics in order to monitor their health and their baby's development.

The investigating team includes persons from the Vector Control Unit, Public Health and Epidemiology Departments. The office of the Director of Health Services continues to spearhead all efforts as we move towards further documentation of any potential cases. The Ministry of Health will require the assistance of every person and community in trying to mitigate the potential impact of Zika in Belize.

Information Officer, Ministry of Health

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Press Release #2 - Zika Situation in Belize

The Ministry of Health this past weekend conducted a field investigation based on the reported case of Zika by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and based on the provisional data they provided.

The field investigation revealed two local potential cases, one in the Stann Creek District and the other in the Toledo District. A person of interest was also identified from the Cayo District. Samples were taken from the persons in the southern districts and will be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) tomorrow for testing. CARPHA is our Regional Referral Laboratory in Trinidad.

The investigation into these potential cases continues in order to determine the potential source(s). Although new and compelling factors may indicate the presence of Zika, the Ministry is still not able to declare that there is a first local transmission case of Zika in Belize.

All Regional Health Management teams have been debriefed and the Zika plan
for Belize continues to be implemented and is now moving into a new phase as the Ministry continues to learn more of the situation. The Ministry continues to implore the community to take measures to minimize the breeding sites and population of mosquitoes that primarily transmit the disease.

Pregnant women and women considering getting pregnant are especially asked to take precautions and try to avoid mosquito bites. Pregnant women are also encouraged to attend regular prenatal clinics in order to monitor their health and their baby's development.

The investigating team includes persons from the Vector Control Unit, Public Health and Epidemiology Departments. The office of the Director of Health Services continues to spearhead all efforts as we move towards further documentation of any potential cases. The Ministry of Health will require the assistance of every person and community in trying to mitigate the potential impact of Zika in Belize.

Claudette Dakers-Noralez
Information Officer
Ministry of Health

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Press Release # 3 - Zika Situation: Belize remains ZIKA Free, Sample Negative

The Ministry of Health has received results from Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) on an initial case that was of significant interest in the ongoing investigation to determine the existence of indigenous transmission of the Zika virus in Belize. The sample from that case came back with a negative result for Zika.

As a result of the investigation and heightened surveillance, Belize sent an additional seven (7) samples for testing during the weeks following April 12th, 2016. The results for six of the seven additional samples were all negative for Zika. The samples from this subsequent batch also tested negative for Dengue and Chikungunya. The Ministry will ensure that any pending result that is of interest to the public as it relates to Zika will be reported forthwith.

The Ministry of Health is still not able to confirm the presence of Zika in Belize but we remain vigilant as we continue to thoroughly investigate any potential case. We also take this opportunity to once again ask the community to take measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

Claudette Dakers-Norales
Information Officer
Ministry of Health

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Belize Confirms First Case of Zika

The Ministry of Health confirms the first Zika case documented in Belize. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has returned the results of samples sent to their laboratory from a heightened surveillance being carried out across the country. Of the samples sent to CARPHA thus far, one positive result was received last week.

An immediate investigation was launched and several actions were simultaneously initiated to minimize and contain a potential outbreak. The investigation continues, and the Zika Plan is being followed in light of this case which is from Belize City. The patient is a Belizean national.

The Ministry will continue to be actively engaged with the community to minimize impact and we continue to ask the community to do everything possible to assist the Ministry and our partners to reduce mosquito breeding sites such as discarding buckets, old tires and other containers that may hold water.

The Ministry of Health will share more on this case and other relevant information once we have completed the investigation. The heightened surveillance continues across the country.

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MOH & BTB protecting tourists from Zika

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) have partnered with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to protect visitors from the scourge of Zika and other diseases like Chikungunya and H1N1, by launching the Belize Tourism and Health Program at the Radisson Fort George Hotel last Friday morning, October 21st. Minister of Health Hon. Pablo Marin cited that protecting the health of Belizean tourism staff was key to the continued success of the industry, which is all important to the country's economy. Equally important is to ensure the health of tourists that they may enjoy their stay in Belize without contracting any illness, nor introducing any infectious virus to Belize.

The program calls for hotel and restaurant staff to be trained and certified in food and environmental safety, to avoid possible cases of food poisoning. The will also be a general certification program for hotels and resorts to meet defined health, safety and environmental standards. The program will also monitor and ensure the health of the tourism work-force to avoid the possibility of host to guest infection, and vice versa.

CARPHA's Tourism and Health Program director, Dr. Lisa Indar, joined Marin at the launch. She said, "Health and safety does impact on tourism. Tourism and vice versa impact on health, safety and security. We want our visitors to come in, but they can bring diseases with them. First cases ZIKA, Chikungunya, H1N1 all came in through a visitor. So we want to ensure that if that happens that we have systems in place to identify very quickly so that we can have appropriate response. So you avoid spreading, you avoid negative publicity, you avoid it going into your population and overall you are reducing the impact on your country."

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun


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