Chik-V no longer at epidemic levels – health officials

PARAMARIBO (CMC):

Suriname is no longer in the epidemic phase of chikungunya, although the virus continues to circulate and cases are still being recorded, particularly in Paramaribo and Brokopondo, according to the Public Health Bureau (BOG).

Stephanie Cheuk A Lam, acting head of the BOG’s Environmental Inspectorate, said both laboratory-confirmed cases and infections diagnosed based on symptoms have declined.

“We are already out of the epidemic phase. It is a disease that is actually circulating a little in Suriname, but not in quantities that we really need to worry about,” she told the state-owned Communication Service Suriname (CDS).

The BOG said recent media images that appeared to suggest a new surge in chikungunya do not reflect the current situation. However, it warned against abandoning preventive measures.

“If we all do our part and clean up the breeding grounds, keep our surroundings tidy, and remain vigilant, we can prevent another outbreak,” Cheuk A Lam said.

Spraying not sufficient

According to the bureau, spraying alone is not sufficient to control chikungunya sustainably.

“Spraying is really just a snapshot,” the BOG noted, explaining that mosquito larvae and eggs can survive in stagnant water and later develop into a new mosquito population.

Amid the current dry and warm conditions, the bureau is urging residents to pay close attention to planters, flower vases, animal drinking bowls and other water containers. It also stressed that water storage facilities should be properly covered and cleaned regularly.

Chikungunya is caused by the chikungunya virus (Chik-V), an alphavirus spread primarily through the bites of infected female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.