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Zika: UN agriculture agency provides expertise to help curb spread of virus

SINT MAARTEN/INTERNATIONAL – Under the lead of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations system, including the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is mobilizing a coordinated response to Zika aimed at minimizing the threat in affected countries and reducing the risk of further international spread.

"FAO with its resources and expertise, is ready to do its part in addressing this emergency which continues to evolve," said the agency's Director-General, José Graziano da Silva in astatement issued today.

Zika virus is transmitted to humans primarily by Aedes mosquitoes; a critical measure to combat the spread of the disease is to intensify control of mosquito populations in affected and at-risk areas.

As the leading UN agency on animal health and pest control, FAO highlighted today that it can assist affected nations with targeted interventions while ensuring that people and the environment are not exposed to health and other risks stemming from the inappropriate use of potentially dangerous chemicals.

It also emphasized that it is likely, at least in the short term, that there will be a dramatic increase in the use of insecticides to spray mosquito populations or treat waters, adding that a more immediate and relatively simple set of actions that can be taken to combat the spread of the Zika virus is to ensure the removal of stagnant water used by mosquitos to breed.

“Affected communities need to be encouraged and assisted to ensure that animal drinking water containers are emptied, cleaned and scrubbed weekly. Ponds and other areas where stagnant water collects should also be drained and removed,” advised Mr. Graziano da Silva.

The agency further urged that if the intensive use of insecticides is indeed required, then it is essential that it be done with great care to promote safety for humans and to protect the food chain from contamination. “On this we are in a strong position to provide support to affected countries and regions combating the spread of Zika,” the Director-General stressed.

FAO, in a joint programme with WHO, has developed a set of recommendations on the sound management of insecticides. For example it is important that high quality pesticides are used and mixed according to the manufacturer's instructions, to promote both efficacy and safety.

“FAO's work on agriculture and health threats of animal origin due to climate change, agro-ecosystems and land use policies, early warning of possible disease events, such as what is done with partners on Rift Valley fever – a disease also transmitted by mosquitoes in Africa – can be useful to forecast and ensure countries have their preparedness plans in place in the Americas,” Mr. Graziano da Silva added.

Through its work in monitoring weather patterns, it is possible for FAO to analyze the movements and changing habitats of the Aedes mosquito vectors which can be important in mitigating or preventing the disease.

Mr. Graziano da Silva underscored that the agency's proven record in animal disease control – as it has done with rinderpest, avian influenza or tsetse-borne trypanosomosis – can be beneficial for countries in Latin America and Caribbean to address this problem together.

But besides the use of insecticides, there are reportedly other ways to combat the spread of the Zika virus. One possible longer term solution being highlighted is the Sterile Insect Technique that has been developed at the FAO-IAEA Joint Programme on Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.

This is a form of pest control that uses ionizing radiation to sterilize male insect pests that are mass-produced in special rearing facilities. It has reportedly been successfully used worldwide for over 50 years for various agricultural insect pests, such as fruit flies, tsetse flies, screw worms and moths. Its deployment against disease-transmitting mosquitoes, such as the carrier of the Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue viruses, is ongoing with some pilots already successfully completed and others showing promising results.

“FAO can contribute to these and other measures. For instance our vast network of workers at field level who for decades have worked with communities and families and have built trusting relationships can bring the right health and safety messages to the people who need them most,” concluded the head of the UN agency.

“The human toll from this emergency is potentially devastating and we must work closely together to ensure it is brought under control," he warned.

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Hotel and Tourist Association takes charge to inform industry about fighting mosquitoes

SINT MAARTEN/ANTIGUA – The Hotel and Tourist Association of Antigua (AHTA) is taking the lead in preparing the sector for the Zika virus disease.  The island of Antigua does not have any confirm cases to date. 

Vector Control Specialist were invited by the AHTA to give a seminar to industry workers on how better to protect tourists and staff from the virus and what measures they should also be taking at home.

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First pregnant woman confirmed with Zika. First male Zika case with Guillain-Barre Syndrome

SINT MAARTEN/PUERTO RICO – Health authorities in Puerto Rico confirmed on Thursday that a woman between 25-35 years of age who is currently in her first trimester of pregnancy has the Zika virus disease, and is one of a total of three new cases for the week.

A male between 30-40 years of age has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, and is experiencing temporary paralysis.  He has the Zika virus.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system. It can be caused by a number of viruses and can affect people of any age. Exactly what triggers the syndrome is not known. The main symptoms include muscular weakness and tingling in the arms and legs. Severe complications can occur if the respiratory muscles are affected, requiring hospitalisation. Most people affected by Guillain-Barré syndrome will recover, although some may continue to experience effects such as weakness.

Puerto Rico has 22 confirmed Zika cases.

How does Zika virus affect pregnant women and fetuses?

Pregnant women have the same risk as the rest of the population of being infected with Zika virus, which is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. Many women may remain unaware they have the virus, as they may not develop any symptoms. Only one in four people infected with Zika develops symptoms, and in those with symptoms the illness is usually mild.

The most common symptoms are slight fever and exantema, or rash. Zika also can cause conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, and general malaise, which begins 2 to 7 days after the bite of an infected mosquito.

Research is being done to determine what effects Zika can have on fetuses. On 28 November 2015, the Ministry of Health of Brazil established a relationship between an increase in cases of microcephaly in newborns and Zika virus infections in the country’s northeast. According to a preliminary analysis of research carried out by Brazilian authorities, the greatest risk of microcephaly and malformations appears to be associated with infection during the first trimester of pregnancy. Health authorities, with support from PAHO and other agencies, are conducting research to clarify the cause, risk factors, and consequences of microcephaly.

What does PAHO recommend for pregnant women living in areas where Zika virus is circulating?

Everyone, including pregnant women and women of childbearing age, should avoid exposure to mosquito bites, for example, by wearing long sleeves and long pants, using insecticide-treated mosquito nets and using insect repellents indicated by health authorities and according to the instructions on the label. In every home and its surroundings, it is very important to identify and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites. 

Can mothers transmit Zika virus to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth?

Currently information on transmission from mothers to babies during pregnancy or childbirth is very limited. Perinatal transmission has been reported with other mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue and chikungunya. Research is currently under way on possible mother-to-child transmission of the virus and its effects on babies. Pregnant women in general, and particularly those who develop symptoms of Zika virus infection, should be closely monitored by health providers. 

Can Zika virus cause congenital malformations, such as microcephaly?

In some Brazilian states where Zika virus has been circulating in recent months, there has been a marked increase in cases of newborns with microcephaly. According to a preliminary analysis of research carried out by Brazilian authorities, the greatest risk of microcephaly and malformations is associated with infection during the first trimester of pregnancy. Health authorities, with support from PAHO and other agencies, are conducting research to clarify the cause, risk factors, and consequences of microcephaly.

PAHO/WHO recommends that countries continue to provide access to prenatal care for pregnant women. Women who are pregnant or of childbearing age should avoid exposure to mosquito bites.

What is congenital microcephaly?

Microcephaly is an uncommon condition whose causes can be genetic or environmental (related to toxicity, radiation or infection). It is defined as a condition at birth in which the newborn’s head circumference is less than expected for age and sex. Microcephaly can present as an isolated condition or may be associated with other symptoms such as convulsions, developmental delays or feeding difficulties. These symptoms have varying degrees of severity and in some cases may be life-threatening. 

It is very difficult to predict the consequences of microcephaly at the time of birth, so that close follow-up is needed through check-ups to monitor and evaluate affected babies. There is no specific treatment for microcephaly. Care is centered on follow-up, promotion and maximization of the child’s abilities.

How can microcephaly be confirmed in a baby?

The most reliable way to assess whether a baby has microcephaly is to measure head circumference at birth and again 24 hours after birth. Once a baby is diagnosed with microcephaly, a multidisciplinary health team should begin a process of follow-up and monitoring of the child. 

Pregnant women should attend regular prenatal check-ups and receive whatever tests their health providers deem necessary at each stage of pregnancy.

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Gear up for Carnival Bootcamp Classes + Pilates Classes

PHILIPSBURG – National Institute of the Arts (NIA) Gear up for Carnival Bootcamp will be a fitness program counting down to Carnival 2016. Classes will focus on fat burning exercises, toning your core muscles for slim waistline figure, arms and legs for slender limbs, and your glutes for a lifted derriere.

Though Carnival costumes be skimpy, time to start getting your body ready! Allison Deher will be leading the classes. She is a Pilates teacher for the past ten years, a resident teacher for Art Saves Lives and recently certified NSCA personal trainer.

Off days from Bootcamp there will be morning walks planned. Food journaling and support will also be offer to program members. Classes will be three times a week; Tuesdays at 5am, Thursdays at 5am and Saturdays 8am or 10am.

The program will be 10 weeks of classes, starting February 9th and concluding April 14th. The price for the full 10 weeks is $210 upfront, of three payments of $100 (due February 2nd, March 2nd, March 30th). Drop in rate is $12.

NIA class cards will be accepted, Also, Allison Deher will be teaching Pilates classes at NIA Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6am and Saturdays at 9am. (NIA)

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Nearby Puerto Rico could have 100 Zika Cases. Antigua reports Hotel Cancellations as a result of Zika fearmongering

PUERTO RICO/ANTIGUA – The number of Zika mosquito-borne virus cases could be around 100 cases, up from 19, according to the former Secretary of Health and Epidemiologist Johnny Rullan.

The epidemiologist stated that for every one confirmed case, the statistical probability is that there are at least four (4) unreported cases, which could bring the number of cases to around 100.

In the meantime, the Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association (AHTA) is reporting that due to Zika fears, some visitors have already started to cancel their Antigua holidays, even though the island does not to date have any confirmed cases of the virus.

The AHTA has asked the island’s resorts to report whether they have had any cancellations since the end of January and the information received so far several hotels have followed up about cancellations.

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Zika Virus Disease could be declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Means more funding for research for a vaccine and fighting the mosquito

SINT MAARTEN/COMMENTARY - The mosquito-borne Zika virus disease could soon be declared a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)”.  The World Health Organization (WHO) has convened an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee meeting for February 1 in Geneva, Switzerland, about the Zika virus and the observed increases in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations of babies.

A committee of public health specialists will determine whether Zika is an extraordinary event that endangers international public health. 

The two specific areas that they will be looking at are is whether Zika: constitutes a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease; and to potentially require a coordinated international response.  This definition according to the WHO implies a situation that: is serious, unusual or unexpected; carries implications for public health beyond the affected State’s national border; and may require immediate international action.

Once a PHEIC has been declared, the committee advises the WHO Director General on measures that should be taken on an emergency basis, known as temporary recommendations.  This includes health measures to be implemented by the State Party experiencing the PHEIC (which would be Brazil in this case), or by other State Parties, to prevent or reduce the international spread of disease and avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic.

A declaration of a PHEIC falls under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) whereby 196 countries have agreed to work under the aforementioned umbrella to prevent and respond to public health crises.  Through the IHR, the WHO keeps countries informed about public health risks and challenges.  Each one of the 196 countries has an IHR Focal Point that reports to the WHO with respect to public health security matters.

Three PHEICs have been issued by the WHO in recent history, the last one being in August 2014 in response to the outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa.  The second one was in May 2014 with the resurgence of polio and the first one was in April 2009, the H1N1 (Swine Flu).

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently stated that the world could see between three and four million cases of the Zika virus disease. 

The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is also responsible for transmitting dengue fever and chikungunya throughout the Americas.  Only one in four people infected with Zika develops symptoms, and the illness is usually mild.

Zika symptoms are similar to dengue and chikungunya, however, a current concern is the effect of the virus on pregnant women and new-born babies.  Where there is a Zika virus outbreak, there has been a marked increase in microcephaly (the head circumference of new-borns is smaller than expected; brain defects and impaired vision). 

Brazil has reported approximately 3,700 cases of microcephaly within a short period of time, and it is suspected that they are related to the Zika virus disease carried by mosquitos.  Microcephaly is not a new disease and effects new-borns on an annual basis around the globe.  For example, in the United States it affects 25,000 children annually.

The declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO would be a good thing as it would result in more financial resources being made available to fight the mosquito-borne disease and to develop a vaccine.  At the moment there is no cure for the virus. 

The most important measures that can be taken by every household and business is to eliminate mosquito breeding sites from around your surroundings; and to protect yourself from being bitten by a mosquito.

Roddy Heyliger   

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Cruise Ship Tourist Dies in Tragic Accident. Seven others injured

SINT MAARTEN/DOMINICA – A 16-month old Italian baby E.A. died on Thursday, while seven other cruise passengers, five Italians and two Brazilians were injured in a bus accident.  The child’s family were treated at the Princess Margaret Hospital and the mother was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).  They were passengers on-board the MSC Orchestra. 

The bus accident happened in the district of Trafalgar, and was driven by R. Xavier (67). The cruise ship passengers had booked a tour independently through a third party.

According to reports, the bus driver it is alleged lost control of the vehicle, collided with a concrete curb and the bus plunged into a precipice 140 feet below unto a concrete secondary road.

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COSME Launches Economic Diversification Study for Caribbean OCTs

TORTOLA - On November 26, the EU funded COSME Programme, launched a regional study on diversification of the Caribbean OCTs. The purpose of the study is to determine the extent to which the economies of the Caribbean OCTS need diversification and provide concrete recommendations to do so. Consultants are A-to-Z Consultants, with key experts Dr. Noel Watson and Tamira La Cruz, MBA.

The objective of COSME is to improve the competitiveness of SMEs in the British, Dutch and French OCTs by facilitating an enhanced business enabling environment through appropriate policies, support to BSOs and SMEs and efforts to increase collaboration and trade between the OCTs, with the rest of the Caribbean and with Europe. The beneficiary countries include Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Saba, St. Eustatius, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, St. Barth’s and Turks & Caicos Islands.

‘Diversification is important because of the vulnerability of small economies. In addition the findings of the study will be an input for policy formulation, which is an objective of the program’, says Diana Hendrickson-Fleming, Team Leader/Key Expert 1 of GOPA Consulting Team attached to the COSME Programme Management Unit in the British Virgin Islands. 

Both consultants Dr. Watson and La Cruz are from the region and have extensive experience with regional economic development in CARICOM, CARIFORUM and the OCTs. They will consult with stakeholders in all OCTs, benchmark the performance of the countries based on hard data, provide recommendations and develop a system for the structured sharing of best practices of small states in general and the OCTs in particular. The OCTs are often not included in global benchmarking studies, so this will be relatively new.

The consultants will assist in particular those smaller OCTs which do not have the resources to study and develop their own diversification and other economic development strategies.  Focus of the recommendations will be on opportunities for SMEs, defined to be companies with up to 50 employees or annual revenues up to USD 3 million.

For more information, visit www.cosmeprogramme.org.

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UN health agency convenes emergency meeting to address 'dramatic' spread of Zika virus

INTERNATIONAL – The United Nations health agency today called an emergency meeting for next Monday to counter the “dramatic” rise in Zika virus infection, which is strongly suspected of causing birth malformations, warning that it could spread even further afield amid an “extremely high” level of alarm.

“The situation today is dramatically different,” UN World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan said in Geneva, noting that for decades the disease, transmitted by the Aedes genus of mosquito, “slumbered,” affecting mainly monkeys and occasionally causing a mild disease of low concern in humans.

“Last year, the virus was detected in the Americas, where it is now spreading explosively. As of today, cases have been reported in 23 countries and territories in the region,” she added in convening an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations on the current epidemic which was first reported by Brazil in May before spreading across the region.

“The level of concern is high, as is the level of uncertainty. Questions abound. We need to get some answers quickly. I am asking the Committee for advice on the appropriate level of international concern and for recommended measures that should be undertaken in affected countries and elsewhere. I will also ask the Committee to prioritize areas where research is most urgently needed.”

Ms. Chan noted that the virus in some places has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads, known as microcephaly, and with cases of the sometimes fatal Guillain-Barre syndrome, although a causal relationship with Zika virus infection has not yet been established, but is strongly suspected.

“The possible links, only recently suspected, have rapidly changed the risk profile of Zika, from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions,” she said. “The increased incidence of microcephaly is particularly alarming, as it places a heart-breaking burden on families and communities. WHO is deeply concerned about this rapidly evolving situation.”

She warned of the potential for Zika to spread even further internationally given the wide geographical distribution of the mosquito vector, and cited the lack of population immunity in newly affected areas and the absence of vaccines, specific treatments, and rapid diagnostic tests.

Moreover, conditions associated with this year's El Niño weather pattern, which causes droughts in parts of the world and floods in others, are expected to increase mosquito populations greatly in many areas.

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American Tourist and Canadian Resident Killed within Seven Weeks

SINT MAARTEN/GRENADA - An American 39-year old female tourist who arrived in Grenada on Saturday with her husband was brutally murdered hours later while walking on the beach by a man brandishing a cutlass.

The couple were staying at La Sagresse Resort after arriving on the island on Saturday night.

The couple were attacked as they walked along the beach but reports suggest the husband was able to escape, running back to the restaurant and hotel area to get help, according to TravelMole.

A man according to Grenada police authorities who they were looking for over the weekend turned himself in on Monday as the investigation continues. 

The couple apparently had went hiking and were on their way back to the resort when the attack occurred.

The alleged perpetrator who turned himself in was recently released from prison, had served time for rape and carnal knowledge, and is considered a chief suspect in the case.

An autopsy will be carried out to determine the exact cause of death.

This murder comes seven weeks after a Canadian woman, Linnea Veinotte (36), a mother of two young kids was brutally murdered.  Grenada police have charged a 26-year old man with non-capital murder in her death which carries life imprisonment.  The trial still has to take place.

Veinotte was last seen jogging with her dog when she was struck by a car.  The culprit who turned himself in, led police to a wooded area outside the country’s capital where the body was found. 

The 36-year old Veinotte had moved to Grenada with her family where she was working at the St. George’s University.

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