The ZIKA samples from Stann Creek and Toledo have been sent to CARPHA for testing. They were sent yesterday and now the Ministry of Health is patiently waiting for the results. These samples were collected after the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the US reported that a woman started showing signs of Zika after visiting Belize. Now apart from sending samples, the ministry is also enhancing its clean up campaigns and education outreach programs especially for pregnant women. Workshops and exercises are also being held with health professionals in the Maternal and Child Health Departments so they can be vigilant and know how to detect the symptoms. Again the ministry maintains that Belize is Zika free until there is laboratory confirmation. We will inform you when the results are in.
Now, the real risk with Zika are to pregnant women and the possibility of birth defects, specifically microcephaly where babies are born with abnormally small heads, and underdeveloped brains.
Well, the Ministry of Health confirmed that there have been no microcephalic cases in Belize neither last year, nor this year.
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