Background
On February 1, 2016 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika virus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. This designation is reserved for public health crises which will have global reach. The first case of zika virus in Jamaica was confirmed on January 29, 2016.
Cases of zika virus in Jamaica
As at July 18, 2016, the Ministry of Health received three thousand seven hundred and forty six (3,746) notifications for the zika virus of which two thousand five hundred and twenty four (2,524) or sixty seven percent (67%) fit the case definition for Zika and were classified as “Suspected Zika”.
Geographic spread
There are forty four (44) laboratory confirmed cases. The confirmed cases were reported from the parishes of St Catherine (8), St Thomas (3), Clarendon (3) and Kingston & St. Andrew (18), Trelawny (1), Manchester (1), St. Ann (1) and nine (9) cases with unknown addresses.