More Chikungunya cases confirmed in Berbice

At least a dozen more cases of the Chikungunya virus have been confirmed even as the Ministry of Health continues fervent

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud

efforts to control its impact.

Last week Guyana recorded its first two cases of the disease – a four-year-old girl and a 50-year-old woman. The two cases were among 30 blood samples from patients with symptoms including fever, that were sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) laboratory in Trinidad for testing.
The latest cases were among a batch of 130 samples that were taken in recent days. All of the cases thus far were found in the Berbice area, with the first two coming from Canje and some of the recent cases also coming from sections of Canje and Corentyne.
This development has been confirmed by Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud, who told Kaieteur News that the total number of confirmed cases currently stands at 14.
This publication understands that health officials are viewing this latest development as worrisome but not at all unexpected, since the possibility exists that the situation will escalate before it subsides.
But in order to keep the situation at a relatively manageable level, Dr Persaud said that “we have increased our vector control and awareness efforts.”
The Chikungunya virus is a disease that is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. Reports are that the Health Ministry is still seeking to ascertain how the virus was able to make its entry into Guyana.
It is being suggested that the virus’ entry might have been aided by persons who might have traveled from territories where the virus has already been detected.
On December 12 last year, CARPHA was informed of 10 transmitted confirmed cases on the French side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin.
Since then more than 1,800 confirmed cases were reported from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Bartholomew and Saint Martin.  Three confirmed resulting deaths were reported by Martinique and Saint Martin.
While Chikungunya itself is not a high cause of death directly, it can however have some long term effects such as joint pains. Aside from joint pains, its symptoms generally include: fever, rash and muscle pains.

The disease is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito.

The resulting fever together with pain, particularly in young children, could also cause bouts of convulsions and even dehydration, Dr Persaud said.  There have even been rare occasions, he disclosed, when the virus has been known to be associated with the Guillain Barre Syndrome which is a disease that causes the body to become paralysed.
“Even with medical care you might still experience this pain depending on how the body reacts beyond the incubation period,” Dr Persaud noted. This period can span two to six days with symptoms usually appearing four to seven days after infection. There is no cure or specified treatment for the virus hence infected persons’ recovery is dependent on medical management.
Guyana has been on high alert ever since reports surfaced of the virus’ entry into parts of the Caribbean last year, even heightening its monitoring at ports of entry and intensified fogging activities.
The ministry’s intervening actions also include an awareness campaign to enlighten residents, particularly in the affected areas, of ways to safeguard their environment and by extension themselves from the virus.
The Ministry has also been relying heavily on its Veterinary Public Health Department, since animals can also serve as reservoirs for the disease.