THERE is no available vaccination for dengue and zika viruses globally, according to the Health Department.
Retesting by the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) concluded that zika has been in the country since May last year at least, but never been diagnosed, Health Department secretary Pasco Kase said.
Kase said that at a media conference in Port Moresby yesterday.
“There is also no outbreak in PNG like the kind being experienced by other countries, particularly those in South America,” Kase said.
He said the Health Department had conferred with the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) that retested some blood samples from patients with fever symptoms since 2014.
“The conclusion was that Zika has been present in PNG since at least May 2015 but has never been diagnosed,” Kase said.
“This is because it is generally a mild illness and because of its similarity to other diseases such as malaria and dengue.”
He said there were also no detected cases of Zika in the city.
Kase has called on everybody around the country to make sure that their backyards were cleaned and not breeding mosquitoes.
“Old tins, cans, water bottles, tyres and other rubbish around your house should be thrown away,” he said.
“Anything that could create a home for mosquitoes should immediately be destroyed so that no one person is likely to get the zika virus.”
Kase also called on health authorities to lead as an example and clean their backyards.
“All of us sitting here should be the ones going back home and doing exactly what we talk about every day to the media,” he said. The National
Retesting by the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) concluded that zika has been in the country since May last year at least, but never been diagnosed, Health Department secretary Pasco Kase said.
Kase said that at a media conference in Port Moresby yesterday.
“There is also no outbreak in PNG like the kind being experienced by other countries, particularly those in South America,” Kase said.
He said the Health Department had conferred with the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) that retested some blood samples from patients with fever symptoms since 2014.
“The conclusion was that Zika has been present in PNG since at least May 2015 but has never been diagnosed,” Kase said.
“This is because it is generally a mild illness and because of its similarity to other diseases such as malaria and dengue.”
He said there were also no detected cases of Zika in the city.
Kase has called on everybody around the country to make sure that their backyards were cleaned and not breeding mosquitoes.
“Old tins, cans, water bottles, tyres and other rubbish around your house should be thrown away,” he said.
“Anything that could create a home for mosquitoes should immediately be destroyed so that no one person is likely to get the zika virus.”
Kase also called on health authorities to lead as an example and clean their backyards.
“All of us sitting here should be the ones going back home and doing exactly what we talk about every day to the media,” he said. The National
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