Providenciaes, 04 Feb 2016 – The Government says it will dip into the Contingency Fund to beef-up on mosquito control so that the TCI remains Zika-free; the Premier as the Health Minister says he is getting more foggers and getting more manpower as the Zika Virus is now deemed a global health emergency.
That news is on time as yet another Caribbean country is added to the list of where not to go if you are pregnant; Jamaica has now been named. It is yet another destination to which the TCI is linked via airline and freight shipping.
Director of Environment Health Department, Kenrick Neely explained that he and his team will increase house to house inspections because the Aedes Aegypti lives and breeds near homes or dwelling places.
In fact, EHD has been holding meetings since Monday with the various Pastors’ fraternities and Youth Groups – Grand Turk, Provo and South Caicos are in focus this week.
The EHD believes this tactic, at this time is more effective than town hall meetings.
The hotel sector was present and it was explained that resorts have their own vector control measures to ward off mosquitoes and sand flies.
Nonetheless, the sector is going a step further, Ken Patterson of the Seven Stars resort:
“We are introducing mosquito netting on all of our four poster beds within in our guest rooms, in order to try to keep our guests safe. We always give out on a complimentary basis any bug sprays in our restaurants, on our beach and in our beach bar.”
The resounding message at that media briefing on Friday, held at the Office of the Premier was how clean we all need to be; clean up campaigns, personal cleanliness around homes, schools and work sites is strongly encouraged.
Babies born with brain damage, a mosquito virus being spread through sexual contact – all no joke; just yesterday Tonga and Europe too were said to be facing Zika.
