Chikungunya outbreak grows to 26 confirmed cases on St. Martin

Local health authorities of the French Caribbean Islands reported 26 confirmed and 12 probable autochthonous, or locally acquired, cases of chikungunya on the island of Saint Martin, according to a European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) news release Friday.

Image/CIA

This is up from 10 confirmed cases reported one week ago. Health authorities also note that there are at least a dozen “probable” cases.

Three foci of infection have been noted on St. Martin–Oyster Pound, Sandy Ground, and quartier d’Orleans and other seem to be emerging.

The ECDC also reports that an additional three cases were detected on the Dutch part of the Island, two cases of chikungunya have been confirmed in the island Martinique, according to media quoting regional health authorities, and in Guyane a case imported from Martinique was detected.

LISTEN: CDC Chief of the Arboviral Diseases, Dr. Roger Nasci talks about chikungunya in the Western Hemisphere

Elsewhere in the Caribbean, the chikungunya outbreak has prompted the Puerto Rico Department of Health to urge the public to take measures to prevent chikungunya and dengue.

In a news release Friday (computer translated), The Director of the Office of Epidemiology and Research Department of Health (DOH ) , Dr. Brenda Rivera Garcia said, ” We currently do not have a panic,  but yes it is prudent for us prepare . Measures to prevent inclusion in our practices daily and teach new generations . The purpose of informing the population before the Chikungunya virus is reported in Puerto Rico is that we can reduce the risk if you ever get to the island the same time, are measures that also help us to prevent infection with the virus dengue.”

Rivera Garcia adds, “”Government is not the only one can prevent an outbreak, that is why we call on citizens to be part of the solution and prevention equipment , eliminating potential mosquito breeding.”

This is the first documented autochthonous transmission of chikungunya virus in the Americas. The cluster of suspected cases was detected during an on-going dengue outbreak on the island Saint Martin.

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