Four more cases of chikungunya in Cayman Islands – total now 41

From Cayman Islands Public Health Department

Chikungunya/Dengue Update as of 8 December 2014

Chikungunya update:

• During the week of 2 December – 8 December 2014 the Cayman Islands received 10 results for pending samples from the Caribbean Public Health Agency. Six were negative and four positive where the newest cases are from: Bodden Town – two, George Town – one, West Bay – one.
• Of these positive results, onset of symptoms was September (1) October (2) November 7th (1), which means that the persons are no longer contagious.
• Two had travel history to Jamaica whilst one had travel history to Puerto Rico and one had no travel history, indicating local transmission. Such reported cases are due to the lag between the instatement of the CARPHA policy and the pending results with travel history.

• This brings the number of locally transmitted cases to 14.
• The total number of laboratory confirmed chikungunya cases in the Cayman Islands to date is 41. Another possible 27 cases had travel history to endemic areas. As per CARPHA guidelines, blood samples for suspected cases with travel history to endemic areas are no longer being sent for testing, but are considered possible cases.

• The total distribution of confirmed and possible cases has been: George Town – 34; West Bay – 15; Bodden Town -12, Cayman Brac – four; Little Cayman -two and North Side – one.

• 53 patients have reported travel history to countries experiencing outbreaks.

• There were nine suspected cases of chikungunya during the week 2 December – 8 December 2014. One had travelled to Jamaica, and two reported no travel history. The distribution of cases was: Bodden Town (3); West Bay (3) and Cayman Brac (1).
• Results of eight samples sent in the week of 2 December – 8 December and eight previous samples are awaited.

• The total number of suspected cases of chikungunya reported since 25 June 2014 is 194.

• The total number of results received thus far is 150. 41 have come back positive for chikungunya, 106 negative and three inconclusive.

As of 5 December 2014, 19,361 confirmed/probable cases of chikungunya have been reported by 23 of the 24 CARPHA Member States, and 11 other Caribbean countries/territories. The total number of suspected cases is 792,682.

Further information can be obtained through www.hsa.ky. Regional updates can be accessed by visiting the CARPHA website on http://carpha.org/What-We-Do/Public-Health-Activities/Chikungunya. In addition United States updates are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/geo/united-states.html.

Dengue Update:

• No positive results for dengue have been received during the past week.

• The total number of confirmed dengue cases remains at four.

• Distribution of confirmed cases: George Town – one; West Bay- one and Bodden Town – two. The two cases in Bodden Town are locally acquired.

• Chikungunya causes fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash.
• Dengue causes high fever, severe headache, severe pain behind the eye, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands or rash.
• As both chikungunya and dengue are transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, protection from mosquito bites is the only prevention.
• Use mosquito repellent with DEET on the skin, and wear long sleeve pants and shirts when outside during times that mosquitoes bite, whether in the Cayman Islands or on travels.

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