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"Report Chikungunya symptoms quickly!"

Jamaica's health officials are urging persons who have travelled to Chikungunya affected countries and are experiencing symptoms to immediately visit their doctor or health centre.
  
Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse, Director of  Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services in the Ministry of Health,  is also encouraging everyone to cooperate with health personnel who are working to reduce the possibility of  spread and impact of  the disease on the population.

In a statement released on Monday night, Dr Bullock Ducasse noted that although there is no local spread so far, more travel is expected during summer and therefore there's an increased risk of  transmission. 
   
She's therefore urging persons who travel to affected countries to use insect repellent containing DEET, wear clothing that covers their bodies as much as possible, and sleep under mosquito nets.
   
Chikungunya is spread by the Aedes Aegypti which is a day biting mosquito. Symptoms include high fever, joint pain mainly in the hands, wrists and ankles, headache, muscle pain and a rash.
                                                     
Regional spread

Meanwhile, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Chikungunya cases in the Americas increased by a dramatic 24 percent last week to 442-thousand 310.
    
The Dominican Republic accounted for most of  the new illnesses. Guadaloupe, Haiti, and Martinique each contributed thousands of  new cases to the total.         
    
The total reported by PAHO included 436,586 suspected and 5,724 confirmed cases. A week ago there were 350,580 suspected and 5,037 confirmed cases.
    
The United States reported its first two locally acquired cases on July 17. That country has had 234 imported cases.



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