#Providenciales, March 26, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – The Ministry of Health, Agriculture,
Sport and Human Services is pleased to announce that the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), has updated its Zika travel information website
to reflect that the Turks and Caicos Islands is among the countries with
current or past Zika transmission but no outbreak.
In the case of the TCI, the last confirmed case of Zika was reported in January
2017.
The CDCs Zika travel information
website provides information to prospective travelers about the risk of
acquiring Zika when traveling to different countries. It is a tool to help
travelers make informed decisions about whether to travel to a particular
destination.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency, the regional public health agency of which TCI is a member, has previously issued a statement on October 19th 2018, indicating “that the Zika virus transmission in the Caribbean had been interrupted for over 12 months, or was at undetectable levels, thereby posing very little risk to residents and visitors to the Region. This was matched by data shared with CARPHA by Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States of America, which showed that no Zika had been detected for over 12 months in travelers returning from the Caribbean to their countries”.
On October 17th 2018, World Health
Organization (WHO) discontinued the Zika classification scheme which saw
several Caribbean countries, including the TCI, characterized as
having “new introduction or reintroduction with ongoing Zika
transmission”. The discontinuation came after much advocacy from several
Ministries of Health including the Turks and Caicos, the Caribbean Public
Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). However, the Zika
label remained on much of the region based on the United States’ CDC travel
advisory website. The CDC travel advisory continued to have an adverse impact
on the hotel and tourism industry of the Caribbean, the most tourism-dependent
region in the world, and one of the most popular honeymoon destinations
worldwide.
According to Dr. James Hospedales,
Executive Director of CARPHA, ongoing cancellations due to the classification
of most Caribbean countries was hurting the industry unnecessarily. Thus, the
new categorization on the CDC travel advisory website is welcomed news for the
TCI and the region.
The Ministry of Health has continued
its efforts to strengthen its vector control programme through the
implementation of its Integrated Vector Management Plan which was approved by
Cabinet as well as a number of technical assessments and training facilitated
by regional and international partners including PAHO (Pan American
Health Organization), CARPHA and PHE (Public Health England).
In addition, clean up campaigns are
ongoing throughout the country in order to maintain the cleanliness of the
environment thereby reducing and eliminating mosquito breeding sites. Health
promotion activities are ongoing to educate the general public about measures
they can take to reduce mosquito breeding as well as avoid mosquito bites
through various forms of media.
The Ministry of Health continues to
take a proactive multifaceted approach in addressing mosquito-borne
diseases including Zika in order to protect the health of residents and
visitors to the TCI.
For additional information, please contact the Ministry of Health on 338-3055.
Press Release: TCIG