THE Department of Health (DOH) is working closely with the local government unit (LGU) of Iloilo to intensify surveillance and mosquito control measures following the confirmed case of Zika virus in Iloilo City.
A team of medical experts from the DOH-Central Office and Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) arrived in Iloilo City on Tuesday, September 6, to further assist the regional and LGU teams in the conduct of an in-depth epidemiological investigation that would determine the source of the vector and the scope and magnitude of affected population.
Vector-control measures such as fogging will be conducted in targeted sites using insecticides approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The DOH will also assist patients categorized as Zika suspects (with symptoms such as skin rash with fever, conjunctivitis and joint pains) for confirmatory laboratory tests at the RITM.
According to the DOH officials, Zika virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which also transmit dengue and chikungunya. It presents with a very mild illness and almost 90 percent of patients do not manifest symptoms.
What made Zika a major concern is its effects on babies born from infected pregnant women.
Zika has been reported to cause neurologic defects such as microcephaly and brain deformities.
Strong community efforts on cleanliness of surroundings, including destruction of mosquito breeding places, are being pushed by the DOH.
The public is urged to be “good citizens” by maintaining the cleanliness of their surroundings, destroying mosquito breeding sites and avoiding mosquito bites.
Regional epidemiologist Doctor Glen Alonsabe said Zika virus is not so virulent unlike dengue and can be treated as an ordinary influenza by paracetamol against the usual fever from five to seven days.
The victim must take a rest and not do strenuous exercises. (Sunnex)