Beware West Nile virus

CHIEF Medical Officer (CMO) in the Ministry of Health, Dr Rohit Doon, yesterday called on all medical practitioners to be particularly vigilant and report to the ministry anyone with symptoms of the West Nile virus, which has apparently manifested in this country. Dr Doon believes migratory birds in search of warmer climes were possibly the hosts of the virus, which is also reportedly turning up in other islands of the Southern Caribbean.

The CMO revealed that on November 23, serological surveillance conducted by the Health Ministry confirmed two samples from horses in Arima, as well as two caged birds from the Wild Fowl Trust in Pointe-a-Pierre, tested positive for antibodies of the virus. Dr Doon said the ministry had since advised both public and private health care providers to report any persons admitted to hospital or other medical institution with fever, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, eye pain, headache and rash.

He also pointed out that the virus was not transmitted from person to person, but from infected mosquitoes and urged homeowners to get rid of stagnant water and cover stored water to prevent breeding of the insect.        Meanwhile, a public health advisory stated that symptoms in horses may include fever, anorexia, weakness of limbs, muscle twitching and death, but noted that animals can be protected through the use of commercially available vaccines.