The Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador gave an epidemiological alert on zika, its symptoms and how to avoid it.
The alert notifications hosting gives the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization to its member states, the presence of Zika virus in America.
What is the Zika virus?
Zika fever is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which are the same transmitters of dengue and chikungunya. In Ecuador there is endemic presence of aedes aegypti mosquito.
To transmit the disease, one of these mosquitoes to bite and then a sick person to a healthy person.
According to WHO, the virus was first isolated in 1947 in the forests of Zika, Uganda, during research with rhesus monkeys; human infection was found in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania. Since 2007, cases were detected in Oceania.
What are the symptoms of Zika virus?
- Slight fever
- Heat rash
- Headache
- Pains in joints and muscles
- No purulent conjunctivitis that occurs three to twelve days after the mosquito bite.
According to the Ministry of Health , one in four people can not develop symptoms, but who themselves are affected the disease is usually mild and the symptoms can last between two and seven days.
The symptoms are similar to dengue and chikungunya. A person can get sick from zika only once.
What to do about Zika virus fever?
The Ministry of Public Health recommends:
- Check the proliferation of aedes aegypti mosquito (characterized by its striped legs), through the elimination of breeding sites.
Permanently remove cans, tubs and containers where rainwater collects.
- Permanently Remove standing water puddles, pots, toilets, tires.
- Cover the containers of usable water and apply larvicide given by the Ministry of Health.
- Brushing properly tanks and any container that contains useful, maximum water every 5 days.
- Duly a suspect case health units.
- Use mosquito nets and fine screens on doors and windows.
- Apply insect repellent on exposed skin areas.
If symptoms such as high fever, red eyes, malaise, red spots on the skin and joint pain go to the nearest health center. (I)
