by Linda Straker
- Viruses disclosed in Ministry of Health’s Epidemiology Surveillance Bulletin for Week 43
- Preliminary results from CARPHA identified Chikungunya and Zika in circulation
- Ministry of Health has been fogging several communities in recent weeks
Dr Shawn Charles, Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health, has confirmed that Chikungunya (ChikV) and Zika — 2 vector-borne viruses transmitted mainly by the Aedes aegypti mosquito — are circulating in Grenada.
“We have had 1 positive result that we are verifying with CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency),” said Dr Charles, who admitted that results of other samples are pending. “By the end of the week, we hope to have more information.”
Several medical or healthcare providers first became aware of the viruses in circulation after it was disclosed in the Ministry of Health’s Epidemiology Surveillance Bulletin for Week 43, which is the period 21–27 October.
“Preliminary results from CARPHA MML (Medical Microbiology Laboratory) identified the presence of Chikungunya and Zika in circulation,” said the report under the subtopic outbreaks. The CMML is based in Trinidad & Tobago. Among its roles is providing accurate and reliable services for surveillance and control of disease in CARPHA Members.
In 2014, Grenada experienced an outbreak of Chikungunya, otherwise called ChikV, and hundreds of people were affected with symptoms including fever — often higher than 102°F, chills, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, swelling, and stiffness — especially in the mornings, nausea, vomiting, and feeling tired or weak.
The Zika virus, which was first diagnosed in Grenada in 2016, is also spread by mosquitoes and can cause serious birth defects. Symptoms include rash, headache, joint pain, conjunctivitis (red eye), and muscle pain.
Dr Charles clarified that it is one positive case each for both medical conditions that share the same and or similar symptoms like dengue. The different virus is only identified when the relevant test is conducted at the laboratory.
Since May 2023, Grenada has been experiencing an outbreak or a significant rise in dengue cases which is also transmitted via the Aedes aegypti mosquito. In recent weeks, the environmental division in the Ministry of Health has been fogging several communities.
The Epidemiology Surveillance Report also showed that besides the circulation of the Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya viruses, other viruses circulating in Grenada are the Covid-19 virus as well as Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2), Rhinovirus, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza 3 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
