MoH warns of effect of Zika virus

The Ministry of Health (MOH) continues to express its concern in relation to the potential effect of the Zika virus on the Dominican population.

The potentially deadly virus, transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, has been detected in many countries, including Barbados and Martinique.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David Johnson has warned of the potential impact of the virus.

“The majority of the cases of the Zika virus will actually resolve without difficulty within two to seven days,” he said. “Some patients might go on to develop problems of the nervous system, particularly a problem which is referred to as Guillain-Barre Syndrome. These patients will experience worsening weakness in the body, and may require hospitalization. If the muscles of the respiratory system are affected, these persons will require intensive care treatment. And, depending on the aggressiveness of the illness… some of those patients can even die.”

He went on to say that there are other complications, which has been identified in Brazil.

“There’s another major complication that was identified in Brazil in particular: some babies born with poor development of the head. The head is abnormally smaller others. It is referred to as microcephaly,” he stated.

Symptoms of the Zika virus are similar to that of the Chikungunya virus. They include fever, headache, rash, muscle/joint pain, and red eyes. As many as three out of four infected persons may not show any signs or symptoms.

No deaths caused by the Zika virus have been recorded to date.