Guyana has reported yet another case of the Zika virus, this time being a victim who hails from Diamond, on the East Bank of Demerara, and had travelled to Suriname prior to being tested positive for the virus.
Speaking with a section of the media yesterday, Public Health Minster, Dr George Norton disclosed that the patient had complained about experiencing severe fevers before travelling to Suriname on February 14, but this raised no suspicions.
During her visit to Suriname, it was reported that the woman started to develop rashes which are closely linked signs of the Zika virus. Upon returning to Guyana in full manifestation of the virus, her samples were taken and sent to a laboratory in Trinidad for testing where her results came back positive.
Dr Norton was quoted in the Guyana Times newspaper as saying there is a strong possibility that the woman had contracted the virus before travelling to Suriname, which adds to Guyana’s list of another reported case of the Zika virus.
The woman is said to be currently quarantined and under strict medical observation in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) until doctors can deem her cleared of the virus. The immediate environs and neighbourhood have been fogged and disinfected to rid it of the mosquitoes, and persons who had been in close physical contact with the infected woman – before and after her visit to Suriname – are also being examined by a medical team.
Only last week, the amount of reported cases of the virus was one; a 27-year-old who resides in Rose Hall, Berbice, and was tested positive on January 12, but with adequate treatment, was able to fully recover from the virus with doctors saying she is now “cleared” of the virus.
On Monday, Dr Norton had announced that a 16-year-old young man from Eccles, on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) had been Guyana’s second confirmed case of the virus after he had reportedly travelled to the interior region of Guyana, a month before symptoms became evident.
Dr Norton had informed that 88 suspected cases of the virus had been sent to Trinidad for testing since the outbreak and of these, 55 test results were returned confirming the presence of the virus in two persons.
In addition, a tourist visiting from the state of Ohio, USA was tested positive for the virus subsequent to her visit to Guyana. It was insinuated that she had contracted the mosquito-borne virus during her stay in Guyana.
