Ebola an unlikely threat, Chikungunya contained

| 25/08/2014

(CNS): Immigration staff and health officials are on alert for and ready to deal with anyone arriving in Cayman with Ebola but the threat from the deadly  haemorrhagic disease is considered low. Cayman has few visitors from the West African region and despite being an infectious disease it is spread mostly through poor hygiene practices which officials said wouldn’t be an issue here. Anyone arriving from overseas who becomes ill on a plane or at the airport is as a matter of course quickly quarantined and treated according to best practice. Meanwhile, the regional outbreak of Chikungunya which is having more of an impact locally has been contained.

As a result of the work of the MRCU and the response from the public in keeping their yards free of standing water the numbers of the Aedes aegypti, which spreads the disease, are being kept down. There have been just five confirmed cases of the disease since the first report in June in Cayman. Although the hospital has sent around two dozen blood samples from patients suspected of having chikungunya for testing four cases with a travel history to endemic countries have been confirmed positive and only one patient with no travel history appeared to have contracted the disease locally.

The health minister urged the public to remain vigilant over standing water and to cover up and wear repellent and said that the public health department would continue to release the statistics related to suspected or confirmed cases though it has now been more than a month since any new cases were identified.

See the minister’s full statement about the disease threats below

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  1. Nicholas Robson says:

    75% chance Ebola will reach France by end October, 50% for UK – scientists

    http://rt.com/news/193396-ebola-uk-france-october/

     

  2. Anon. says:

    I try to be positive on this blog, but sometimes honesty is not always positive.

    Regarding Ebola, I do not believe that the Immigration staff or health officials have a clue what they are up against if the virus were to come here.

    Does an infectous disease specialist work anywhere in Cayman's health system? Best practice is being employeed now by experienced health officials in Africa and the virus is still wildly out of control with the death toll rising. Has the Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kumar, secured the experimental drug that has proved to be succesful in fighting the Ebola virus? I doubt it. Have enough protective suits been ordered on stand by for the entire Customs staff and H.S.A. personnel. Nope. You all say you're prepared, but most likely it's just lip service.

    Enough with this false comfort. I could go on, but I think people get the idea.

    • Anonymous says:

      You, dear Poster, are a person after my own heart!  I could not agree more. Not to spread doomsday porn but people are kidding themselves in they think this is not waiting in the bushes in their own backyard.

      But of course, it won't happen in Cayman!  People here are clean and hygienic!  It is not like a whole bunch of people weren't sickened from food at the Taste of Cayman two years ago. 

      Further, Ebola has been raging in Liberia for weeks.

      • Anonymous says:

        I like the idea of doomsday porn.  Is it legal?  I hope not.  The illegal porn is the best.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Thank heavens Ebola is not a threat to us and it is very unlikely that anyone infected from it will end up here before beng diagonised.  No need to panic people read and get over your fears, just be careful but absolutely no need to worry about Ebola in Cayman.

    http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/answers-questions-about-ebola-virus-symptoms-and-risks

    • Anonymous says:

      Please define absolutely

      • Anonyanmous says:

        11:21 in reply to your request, as defined, now I will suggest you go get a life and don't let the door knob……..

        ab·so·lute·ly
        ˌabsəˈlo͞otlē/
        adverb
         
        1. 1.
          with no qualification, restriction, or limitation; totally.
          "she trusted him absolutely"
          synonyms: completelytotallyutterlyperfectlyentirelywhollyfullyquite,thoroughly, unreservedly; More

           
           
           
           

             

          •  
             

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        2. 2.
          independently; not viewed in relation to other things or factors.
          "white-collar crime increased both absolutely and in comparison with other categories"

         

  4. Anonymous says:

    ebola unlikely threat ? chicken ganja contained ?

    i dont believe it !!!!!!!!!

    wake up !  be prepared !!

  5. Shirley Smart says:

    I have never seen so many mosquitos in my life as I have seen here on the Brac the last two weeks!   Do the big black ones carry any diseases?

    • Anonymous says:

      The ones flying counter-clockwise are the only ones that can carry ebola.