The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THERE have been no additional confirmed cases of the Zika virus in New Providence in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, with a senior health official claiming there have been fewer reports of mosquito bites in the wake of the category four storm.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Glen Beneby told reporters yesterday there have been no new confirmed cases of the virus since October 3, when the Ministry of Health, via its official website, reported that the number of confirmed cases in New Providence had risen to 17.

Dr Beneby said since the passage of Hurricane Matthew, he and another “senior physician” have had discussions about the virus, and are both of the view that the number of persons reporting mosquito bites is less than before.

Dr Beneby attributed the decrease in reported mosquito bites to the storm’s “high winds,” which he surmised might have caused the adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes - the virus’ vector - to either “take flight or be blown out of the area.” However, he said that if the flooding issue in the capital isn’t dealt with as quickly as possible, New Providence will likely face “a rebound from the larvae.”

Nonetheless, Dr Beneby said the Ministry of Health and other affiliated government agencies have “benefitted” greatly from the efforts by residents in local communities to try and clean up their surroundings following Hurricane Matthew’s passage.

Earlier this month, the MOH announced that 17 cases of the Zika virus had been recorded on New Providence, up seven from the 10 cases recorded as of September 6.

“There are no new reports to be made at this time,” Dr Beneby said when asked yesterday. “What I would like to say is that you know and expect as part of a hurricane that you’ll have considerable water and collection of water. What we have observed is that communities have continued to work together and are cleaning up after the hurricane. And although that was not the intent in terms of looking at Zika because of the response of the community to clean up and to take receptacles away, we are benefitting from that.

“I’ve also had a conversation with one of our senior physicians on this matter, and since the hurricane, it would appear that the number of persons, patients, reporting mosquito bites is less. And so what we believe and we’re thinking about is that the high winds during the hurricane may have caused the adult mosquito to take flight or be blown out of the area. But at the same time, if we don’t clean up and get rid of the water, we are likely to have a rebound from the larva.

“And so what we would like to say to the community and to the public, we thank you for your cooperation with us for helping the Ministry of Environmental Health and (Department of Public Health) in particular in cleaning up and paying attention to cleaning up the environment. And this is a window for us to keep this vector away and by so doing keep the impact of Zika down.

“And we are hoping that the number of cases of Zika will not increase but will decrease and in order for that to be true we have to be proactive and preventative in keeping the environment clean.”

The Bahamas reported an initial case of the virus on August 10 in a man who had recently travelled to Jamaica. The man is a resident of Pinewood Gardens.

Subsequently, on August 23, officials confirmed three more cases; two of which were reported in women and two of which were transmitted locally, via mosquitos in the area infected with the Zika virus.

A short time later, Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez reported four additional cases of Zika on the island. On September 6, Dr Beneby reported that two more women had contracted the virus.

In its latest update on October 3, the Ministry of Health said based on the histories received from the cases it was determined that there was a “mix of travel associated and local transmission.”

The ministry said all cases sought medical attention after having symptoms of the Zika virus. It said at the time that all patients had been treated for associated symptoms and were “doing well.”

Last month, the government announced that it would spend $2.5m a month on combatting the Zika outbreak.