St James Health Department gets hantavirus cautious

WESTERN BUREAU:

Dr Francine Phillips-Kelly, the medical officer of health for St  James, says the parish’s health department is paying keen attention to the cruise ship piers in both Montego Bay and Falmouth, in Trelawny, as it takes steps to prevent the spread of the deadly hantavirus disease in western Jamaica. 

Speaking at Thursday’s monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC), Phillips-Kelly noted that the vigilance in watching for any spread of the disease is especially important since Jamaicans are among the world’s most frequent overseas travellers.

“Something that is not necessarily in our region, but which we are keeping a close eye on, is the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is a zoonotic viral respiratory disease,” she said. “We are keenly aware of this situation, and we have to remain vigilant, because, as we all know, St James is an active cruise shipment area, and our neighbours in Trelawny also continue to have arrivals. Aside from our cruise shipping, we travel as a people, and globally we are trotting.” 

Hantavirus is usually spread to humans through contact with the urine, faeces, or saliva of infected rodents, particularly mice and rats. Infection may occur when contaminated particles from rodent nesting materials become airborne and are subsequently inhaled by humans.

While the disease is not generally transmitted easily between people, the Andes strain of the virus, which is present in South America, has demonstrated the potential for person-to-person transmission through prolonged and very close contact with symptomatic individuals.

On May 7, international media reported that two dozen passengers from 12 different countries had left the MV Hondius cruise ship some two weeks after the first passenger, who was afflicted with the disease, died on board. 

 Up to May 12, the World Health Organisation reported that three passengers from the ship have died, and another six persons with confirmed or suspected cases of hantavirus have been quarantined.

During a news conference in Trinidad on May 11, Dr Lisa Indar, the executive director of the  Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), said that the rodents that carry the human-to-human Adean strain of the hantavirus, are not present in the Caribbean.

 In the meantime, Phillips-Kelly told the StJMC meeting that the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) has issued regional advisories for several other diseases, including measles and dengue.

 “In respect of disease surveillance, we continue our communicable and non-communicable surveillance, and we in the Ministry of Health and Wellness must have heightened surveillance because of outbreaks that are happening not too far away from us,” she said. “There are measles, chikungunya, influenza A, influenza B, respiratory syncytial virus, and dengue, all of which we have been alerted about by PAHO, and as members of that community and the region of the Americas, we remain on high alert. 

“In respect of dengue locally in the parish, no cases have been confirmed, and although we came out of a heavy leptospirosis period after Hurricane Melissa, we have had no cases since this year. We also continue to maintain our vigilance in respect of COVID-19, and the parish has seen no confirmed cases since the year commenced,” she added.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com