Topic: Zika
Mosquito Unit ramps up as rainy season gets under way
With the start of the rainy season and the first possible case of Zika linked to Cayman, the Mosquito Research and Control Unit is ramping up its operations to combat nuisance and disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Petition calls for halt to GM mosquito release
More than 570 people have signed an online petition calling for the Cayman Islands government to suspend plans to release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in the district of West Bay.
Tourist tests positive for Zika
A stayover tourist tested positive for Zika after returning home, the Public Health Department said Friday. The department has not confirmed whether the person contracted Zika in Cayman, but this is the first case of the virus, which can cause birth defects in babies from infected mothers, associated with Cayman.
Cayman reports potential first case of Zika
A Cayman Islands public health official confirmed Friday that a visitor to Cayman has been diagnosed with the Zika virus.
US Congress plays games over Zika
When members of Congress visit their districts over the Memorial Day recess, we hope they keep in mind a warning from Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Scientists move to quell GM mosquito concerns
Cayman’s Mosquito Research and Control Unit and U.K. biotech company Oxitec tackled questions Tuesday night from West Bay residents concerned about the planned release of millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in their neighborhood.
Meeting on GM Mosquito release
The Mosquito Research and Control Unit and biotechnology company Oxitec are inviting the public to attend a meeting Tuesday night to discuss the planned release of millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in West Bay.
Millions of GM mosquitoes to be released
The National Conservation Council has granted permit approval for the release of up to 22 million genetically modified mosquitoes in Grand Cayman over the next nine months.
Genetically engineered mosquitoes to be released in Grand Cayman
Genetically engineered mosquitoes will be released across Grand Cayman in the coming year, starting in West Bay, in an effort to control the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes responsible for spreading Zika, dengue and other viruses.
Public health officials monitor for yellow fever
Cayman’s Public Health Department is advising people traveling to countries were yellow fever is endemic to take precautions and get vaccinated.
Imported case of dengue reported in Cayman
The Cayman Islands Public Health Department has reported a single imported case of dengue fever.
Jamaica equipped to test for Zika
Jamaica’s National Virology Laboratory can now test for the Zika virus, becoming the second country in the Caribbean equipped to do so, according to the Jamaica Information Service.
Zika virus spreading through region
While no cases of the Zika virus have been reported in the Cayman Islands, the virus continues to spread across the Caribbean and the world.
No local cases; Zika continues to spread across the Americas
Thirty-one countries in the Americas have documented local cases of Zika, the mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to causing birth defects in babies of infected women.
Zika virus spawns economic dangers through the Americas
The spread of the Zika virus, a growing medical threat through much of the Americas, demands “urgent action” from regional governments to help control the potential economic damage an epidemic could cause, according to the World Bank and other institutions.
Cayman fighting Zika before it gets here
The red and white Mosquito Research and Control Unit plane began making the rounds this month, joined by truck-mounted foggers on the ground, to kill the mosquitoes blamed for spreading the Zika virus around South and Central America.
Margolis: The price of Zika
People are scrambling as the scary, mosquito-borne virus Zika winds its way through 26 (and counting) countries and territories in the Americas.
Mosquito Research and Control Unit readies Zika fight
Cayman’s Mosquito Research and Control Unit is gearing up to fight the Aedes aegypti mosquito, responsible for carrying the Zika virus that has recently been called a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization.
Bloomberg: Zika and the war against mosquitoes
Ending the Zika public health emergency will require a persistent assault on the mosquitoes that carry the virus.
Cayman prepares for Zika
Cayman’s public health officials expect the Zika virus to be in the country in the coming months and are preparing the Mosquito Research and Control Unit and the islands’ healthcare workers to deal with the new virus.
EDITORIAL – Going viral: The war against the mosquito
The mosquito is the deadliest animal in the world. So says Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who adds, “When it comes to killing humans, no other animal even comes close.”
Cayman prepares for Zika
As the World Health Organization prepares for an emergency meeting Monday on the mosquito-borne Zika virus, Cayman’s public health officials say they are prepared to deal with the potential for Zika reaching the islands.
Travel warning issued amid Zika virus concerns
The Public Health Department is advising all residents of the Cayman Islands to avoid nonessential travel to countries affected by the regional outbreak of...
