7 News Belize

Belize Public Health On High Alert after Chick-V Detected In Salvador
posted (June 19, 2014)
Tonight, Belizean health officials are on high alert after Chikungunya, the virus called Chik-V has been detected in Salvador. Regional news reports quote Salvadoran Health Minister Violeta Menjivar as saying that her nation has reports of at least 1200 cases of the debilitating virus. Panama has also reported cases and Costa Rica has suspected cases.

We stress that test results have not confirmed any of those cases. But, clinical assessments and the proximity to Belize is enough to trigger major concern in Belize since there are close ties between Salvador and Belize - and travel between both countries happens on a daily basis.

On Monday, June 16th, the Caribbean Public Health Agency confirmed that to date, cases of Chikungunya have been confirmed in 23 countries or territories. They say that the total number of confirmed/probable cases has reached 4,805.

Martinique has 1,500 confirmed cases and 3,500 suspected cases, while the Dominican Republic has 18 confirmed cases and 77,000 suspected cases.

Symptoms are fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash.

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