Georgetown : Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton has disclosed that the first case of the zika virus has been detected in Guyana. Addressing the National Assembly, Minister Norton explained that the virus was detected by the Caribbean Public Health Agency in Trinidad and Tobago.
The agency detected the presence of the virus in a sample of blood sent from Guyana to the agency. The Ministry of Health was informed about the detection on January 12, Minister Norton reported.
He explained that the agency also revealed that the sample came from a female, age 27, whose address is listed as Rosehall, Corentyne and also Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara. The case was said to have the symptoms of fever, body rash and pain.
Zika is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the zika virus (ZIKV), consisting of mild fever, rash (mostly maculo-papular), headaches, arthralgia, myalgia, asthenia, and non-purulent conjunctivitis, occurring about three to 12 days after the mosquito’s bite. One out of four people may develop symptoms, but in those who are affected, the disease is usually mild with symptoms that can last between two and seven days. Its clinical manifestation is often similar to dengue, also a mosquito-borne illness.
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