Dengue, chikungunya and Zika are still circulating, CARPHA warns

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is urging regional states including Montserrat that arbo-viral diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika are still circulating.

In a statement, CARPHA says it wants to emphasize the importance of prevention and control measures to reduce the transmission of these viruses.

The regional health agency says it remains committed to strengthening public health systems for early detection and response to the emergence, re-emergence, and spread of arboviral infections.

CARPHA says that given the increase in regional and international travel to the Caribbean and the presence of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, it is urging member states to strengthen routine surveillance for undifferentiated fever in their communities.

CARPHA says it is also critical for the various ministries of health to continue public education campaigns to remind people of the importance of keeping their surroundings free of mosquito breeding sites and avoiding mosquito bites.

The regional health body says this involves keeping water drums and barrels tightly covered and throwing out stagnant water from flower vases, old tyres, and other containers.