Gordon Barlow

For those who don't know it: Cayman has a very effective mosquito-control programme. We have no malaria, dengue, zika, or any other dangerous mosquitoes here. Here's the link. (Yes. it's a government link, and who believes governments these days? But this time, it's true.)
Mosquito Research & Control Unit | Cayman Islands Government

uk_grenada

Something they have wrong on their website... As it says, all the mozzie diseases are carried by the aegypti, but of course it only takes one arrival who was bitten yesterday and you will have zika or chik v, dengue seems to be more of a recurrant thing.

However they dont mention in france sanofi pasteur has now an effective dengue innoculation, you can get it privately in london. Here in grenada we have had chik v and herd immunity means it wont be coming back, zika not yet touch wood, and with the cruise season over we may avoid it, but apart from the danger to pregnant ladies, the CDC say up to 80% of people will never know they had it so overall not so huge an issue.

Gordon Barlow

I'm very glad that Grenada is Zita-free too. I've only been there once, for three days on a business trip (some conference or other) twenty or so years ago. I have nothing but good to say about the place, and the people I met. Warm memories.

Wharfer

I think Chik V had a big impact on Barbados, the authorities were not prepared and underestimated the impact during Aug-Dec 2014. With the oncoming of ZIKA there is much more fogging taking place as well (enforced) preventative measures taking place. Would be interested to know where you are able to get the new medication in London..... the dengue virus is still the scary one compared towards C and Z.....

Gordon Barlow

Getting closer to us, it seems. Will our mosquito control efforts be enough? I think so. It has seen off all the other mosquito-borne diseases.
Baseball Scraps Puerto Rico Series Amid Zika Concerns « CBS Pittsburgh

uk_grenada

First case reported in Grenada this week.

Gordon Barlow

Or maybe not... On the other thread I reported that there had at that time been one case of locally transmitted Zika here in Cayman. As of today, that figure is now two. Watch this space!

Gordon Barlow

Three.

There is no particular concern, here. Nobody is staying indoors, more than usual. Several international news reports say that the danger has been exaggerated, although I wonder how many pregnant women they interviewed.

uk_grenada

Remember that the WHO said that 80% of people who have it wont know they had it, so i do think all quoted numbers are a bit iffy...

In grenada its tens of people diagnosed, but that imho means hundreds, so herd immunity in a few months.

Of more concern, have you seen the reports of the resurgence of yellow fever on some islands, dominica was one, the good news is the innoculation is freely available, i did, have you all?

Gordon Barlow

No, we don't have any inoculation program yet, relating to mosquito-borne diseases. Our government Mosquito Control Unit has for the past fifty years or so successfully kept Aedes Aegypti out of Cayman, with programs specifically targeted at that species. Britain poured millions into building a tourism industry from scratch back when it was creating Cayman as an "offshore" tax haven, and spared no expense to eliminate disease-bearing mozzies. So the local Unit is right on top of this latest scare. So far, so good!

Gordon Barlow

I wish I knew how to change the title of this thread to eliminate the word "No"! Here's a recent report on how our battle is going.
https://www.caymancompass.com/2016/0...in-zika-fight/

Anybody interested in coming to Cayman would be well advised to check out the online "Compass" regularly. Nobody's panicking here, but if we get a hurricane in the next month or two that might change.

Jerseygirl

How's that?

You're welcome.

Gordon Barlow

Thank you. Our local tourism people won't thank me for the new name, but (shrug) what can you do?

uk_grenada

This is interesting, there is a complication of the zika/chikv/dengue virus, that is discussed in learned articles but not apparently known outside those... a small percentage of people, a few months after exposure go on to develop severe dilated cardiomyopathy - ie weak heart... Its considered now important to monitor heart function, look esp for atrial fibrilation, patients may require heart ablation or sophisticated meds...

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/cric/2015/319312/

There are several articles about it.

Gordon Barlow

There are now about a dozen cases of Zika discovered in Cayman, including a few contracted locally. I guess our Mosquito Control Unit is onto it, aiming to eliminate the guilty mozzies. Nobody I know is at all worried about it except the one (or is it two?) pregnant women. The rest of us are more scared of dengue fever - including my wife and me. I had common or garden malaria once (in the South Pacific, when we lived there), and that wasn't too bad; but dengue is a dangerous variant.