From the Cayman Islands Public Health Department.

Chikungunya/Dengue Update as of 24 November 2014

Chikungunya update:

• During the past week, two positive results for chikungunya for patients without travel history were received from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) making the locally transmitted cases at 12.
• The total number of laboratory confirmed chikungunya cases in the Cayman Islands are 36 to date with another 24 possible cases (travel history to endemic areas). As per the guidelines of CARPHA, blood samples for suspected cases with travel history to endemic areas are no longer being sent for testing; those are considered as possible cases.
• The distribution of confirmed and possible cases has been: George Town – 31; West Bay – twelve; Bodden Town – ten, Cayman Brac – four; Little Cayman -two and North Side – one. 48 have reported travel history to countries experiencing outbreaks.
• There were 8 suspected cases of chikungunya during the week 18-24 November 2014 based on symptoms. Two had travelled to Jamaica, and six reported no travel history. Distribution of cases: George Town – three; West Bay – three; Bodden Town – one and Cayman Brac – one.
• The total number of suspected cases of chikungunya reported since 25 June 2014 is 182
• The total number of results received thus far is 135. 36 have come back positive for chikungunya, 96 negative and three inconclusive. Results from four blood samples from 18-24 November 2014 and 14 previous samples are awaited.

As of 24 November 2014, 17,326 confirmed/probable cases of chikungunya have been reported from 23 of the 24 CARPHA Member States and 11 other Caribbean countries/territories. The total number of suspected cases is 770,326

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:

• During the past week one positive result has been received from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).   This case occurred in October.
• The total number of confirmed dengue cases – four
• One of the confirmed cases occurred in September and three were in October.
• Two had travel history to Honduras and two were acquired locally.
• Distribution of confirmed cases: George Town – one; West Bay- one and Bodden Town – two. The two cases in Bodden Town are locally acquired.

NOTE:

• Chikungunya causes fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash.
• Dengue causes high fever, severe headache, severe eye 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 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.

END

IMAGE: wwwnc.cdc.gov