UPDATE: Zika scare! Funds scarce! No fogging until Budget allocation
In fact, there have been no fogging exercises ever since the virus has created global concern and with infection being reported as near as Martinique, Puerto and St Croix, US Virgin Islands.
The governor of Puerto Rico has declared a public health emergency over Zika. The US territory has 22 confirmed cases.
On February 4, 2016 Chairman of the OECS, Dr The Rt Hon Keith C. Mitchell declared February to be the Month of Concerted Action by all stakeholders against the Zika virus threat.
No money for fuel
Meanwhile, Virgin Islands News Online had Virgin Islands News Online called the Environmental Health Department on Tuesday February 2, 2016 to find out if fogging exercises had resumed as it had promised in its press release of January 19, 2016.
We were told that the Acting Chief Environmental Health Officer Mrs Yolanda Penn was in a meeting, however, our call was returned on February 4, 2016.
“I can inform you that fogging will resume shortly. We are waiting for the budget to pass because obviously to resume fogging we have to get fuel as we cannot operate without fuel. So as soon as that is underway we will be fogging the area. We are working diligently behind the scenes, don’t worry,” a woman from the Department said.
According to her, those were the words of Mrs Penn who was not in a position to speak directly to us.
See previous article published February 3, 2016
Is the VI Gov’t sleeping amid worldwide Zika scare?
- Residents not convinced Gov’t doing enough to combat the threat
With experts worried that the Zika virus is spreading far and fast, with devastating consequences, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the problem a global emergency on Tuesday February 2, 2016, putting the virus in the same category of concern as Ebola.
However, while even our neighbour the US Virgin Islands is taking active measures to combat the threat of the virus, there seems to be hardly any concern displayed by Government in the Virgin Islands in the face of threat.
The infection has been linked to cases of microcephaly, in which babies are born with underdeveloped brains. There have been around 4,000 reported cases of microcephaly in Brazil alone since October.
The Zika virus alert was issued for the Caribbean region by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and stated that the Zika virus is now present in the OECS, Martinique and Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico has reported at least 19 cases of the Zika virus infection so far.
Where is the Health Minister?
A check on the Government of the Virgin Islands website today February 3, 2016 shows that since the heightened worldwide concern about the spread of the virus the Environmental Health Department posted a press release posted since January 19, 2016 in which it acknowledged the concern and noted that “considering the volume of travel between the VI and these islands, there is a need for increased surveillance and heightened awareness of this virus and its impact on human health.”
Another news site today reported that Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ronald Georges said all members of the society including the public and private sectors, NGOs, communities, families and individuals must play a key role and share the responsibility of controlling mosquito breeding to reduce the chances of a Zika outbreak.
He called on the public to “learn more” about the virus.
Critics, however, are not satisfied that Government is doing enough to resist the threat. “It is not to make people panic but to educate them more aggressively, not by a press release here and there. Where is the Minister? Why has he not come out and said anything? This is not good enough,” a concerned resident stated.
Travel restrictions
Another person said he is alarmed that there has been an absence of fogging exercises in light of the real threat of the Zika virus reaching the Virgin Islands.
“It already on St Croix and Puerto Rico. What are we waiting for? Until we are infected and then travel restrictions are imposed? Look when Chikungunya came out, it reached here and a whole lot of people got it. This one more serious” the man argued.
Recently, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned pregnant Americans or those wanting to become pregnant against traveling to the US Virgin Islands, approximately one week after the first Zika case was confirmed on St Croix.
USVI takes action
USVI Governor Kenneth E. Mapp has since directed the mobilization of a multi-agency team led by the USVI Department of Health to combat Zika. This includes aggressive fogging exercises.
The US Virgin Islands Department of Health also said it would be going “door-to-door” in “affected areas” to combat the disease.
Meanwhile, the Department has also distributed approximately 3000 mosquito nets focusing their efforts on pregnant women, who doctors believe are at greatest risk from exposure to Zika. And officials at the department have conducted healthcare provider training sessions in both the St Thomas/St John and the St Croix, USVI districts.
According to the VI Consortium, training has been conducted with emergency room staff at the Roy L. Schneider Hospital on St Thomas and the Juan F. Luis Hospital on St Croix to help them recognise suspected cases.
Any fogging exercises in the VI?
Virgin Islands News Online called the Environmental Health Department on Tuesday February 2, 2016 to find out if fogging exercises had resumed as it had promised in its press release of January 19, 2016.
We were told that the Acting Chief Environmental Health Officer Ms Yolanda Penn was in a meeting. We, however, left our number and reason for calling but our call was never returned.
About Zika Virus
The Zika virus is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito which transmits the viruses that causes Dengue and Chikungunya.
Acute symptoms of Zika can last from four to seven days and includes fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, eyeball pain, weakness, red rash consisting of small bumps, swelling in the lower limbs, anorexia, vomiting and diarrhoea, abdominal pain and conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is mainly an inflammation of the outermost layer of the eye and inner surface of the eyelids with no pus production.
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20 Responses to “UPDATE: Zika scare! Funds scarce! No fogging until Budget allocation”
Now they are trying desperately to find a way to combat Zika but all the solutions thus far are just WAY too cheap. They are looking for the most expensive way to fight the spread of ZIKA so that they can inflate that cost even more.
Fogging is expensive but for our Government just not expensive enough. I understand that they are planning on flying in 3000 ZIKA resistant Pygmies from the Congo so that every other household in the BVI has their own Pygmy mosquito swatter to catch and kill the mosquitoes before they bite any victim.
Massive public education.
Cleanup exercise
Fogging
and training health personnel to recognize the sign and symptoms of the disease.
Do they realized that it can cause paralysis. Can you imagine 8 people paralyzed and need the use of the ventilator at Peebles. They better wake up now because it is only a matter of time.
Of course, by the time Zeka becomes a major problem, they won't have the funds to pay your NHI refund, but not to worry, soon come. Just like the musicians, you will be aid, eventually. I don't think NHI covers birth defects or the lifelong costs involved in caring for any babies born with Zeka - or does it? Hmmm, would be nice if there was something in writing we could check to find out.