By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE number of confirmed Zika cases in New Providence has increased to four, officials announced yesterday during a press conference at the Ministry of Health.

Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez said the three latest cases were identified during the last two weeks and were confirmed in recent days by independent testing labs.

Due to the risk of the virus being spread sexually, health officials have recommended the use of condoms, with a special warning being given to pregnant women to use protection while having sex or not engage in sex at all during pregnancy.

The Bahamas reported an initial case of the virus on August 10 in a male who had recently travelled to Jamaica.

Officials have said that two of the three new cases were reported in women, none of whom are pregnant.

Additionally, two of the cases were transmitted locally.

Officials did not say where in New Providence the three new cases were identified.

Dr Gomez said all patients have been treated for associated symptoms and are “doing well”.

He noted that officials have tested roughly 83 suspected cases of the Zika virus, however, of the tested cases only four positive tests have been reported to date.

On Monday, officials could not give clear details on how many of these suspected cases had been tested by a lab, speculating that more results could follow in the coming days.

Officials attached to the Ministry of Health said they couldn’t give particular areas where cases are more prone to occur or have been reported. However, health officials have reiterated their public plea for residents to do their part in limiting breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the virus.

Dr Gomez insisted that while the virus has been primarily transmitted as a result of mosquito bites, the increase in sexual transmitted cases of the virus has led officials to encourage use of condoms to guard against an outbreak.

“To prevent sexual transmission the correct use of condoms is recommended every time,” said Dr Gomez.

He had the following warning for sexual active persons capable of conceiving children.

“The risk of Zika from sex is of greatest concern for pregnant women who can pass the infection on to the baby. Pregnant couples should use condoms every time they have sex or not have sex during the entire pregnancy.

“Couples who are considering pregnancy should talk to their healthcare provider. Anyone who is not pregnant or trying to get pregnant, who wants to avoid getting or passing Zika during sex, should use condoms every time they have sex.

“Additionally, couples who do not want to get pregnant should talk to their healthcare provider regarding the most effective birth control methods that they can use,” he added.

Consultant to the Ministry of Health Dr Percival McNeil said officials have placed a special emphasis on pregnant women.

The paediatric specialist said the Ministry of Health wants pregnant women to register as soon as possible with their healthcare provider to allow officials to closely watch them throughout their entire pregnancy, warning that Zika can have major effects at any stage of pregnancy and even after the baby is born.

“Some of these babies can be born completely normal. We plan to follow the babies intensely throughout the first year to check for development. And so, you need the partnership of the public engaging intensely along with us to deal with this and to prevent Zika from causing a huge problem,” he stated.

Officials have long stressed the link between the virus and microcephaly in newborns and the risk of transmission through sex.

The World Health Organisation has advised that persons wait at least six months to try for a pregnancy if the male partner had symptoms of Zika.

Dr McNeil said the biggest focus in this ordeal remains preventing the spread of Zika.

“We need to prevent Zika - meaning that the ongoing transmission of Zika - and this would mean bite prevention and sexual transmission,” he added on Monday.

The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes).

Other symptoms include muscle pain and headache.

According to the consultant, 80 per cent of persons have no symptoms once infected with the virus, and as a result, he said the sexual route is wide open for transmission by persons who are sexually active.

Persons who suspect that they or a family member may be infected with the virus are encouraged to visit their healthcare provider for further screening.