Health Officials Deem The Bahamas Zika Free

Two of the world’s leading health organizations have declared that islands of the Bahamas are Zika-free and no longer pose a known risk to travelers.

No new cases of Zika have been identified in the country within the past 12 months, according to a statement issued by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed the Bahamas from its list of “Areas with Risk of Zika” in February. Areas with risk of Zika, according to the CDC website, are places where pregnant women should avoid travel, and where travelers should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites and sexual transmission during and after the trip.

The CDC now includes the Bahamas under “Areas with Interrupted Transmission,” meaning Zika was previously found in the locations on this list but scientists have determined the virus is no longer present. Travelers, including pregnant women, can visit these destinations with no known risk of getting Zika from mosquitoes, according to the CDC.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also downgraded the Bahamas from a Category 2 to a Category 3 on its Zika Virus (ZIKV) Classification Table, signifying there have been no new cases of Zika identified in the area or from travelers in the past 12 months.

This classification table evaluates the geographical distribution of Zika virus across four categories, Category 1 being the most threatening and Category 4 representing areas with no documented past or current transmissions, according to the statement from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation.

The Bahamas Ministry of Health additionally confirmed the last reported cases of Zika were in November 2016. At that time, all cases sought medical attention after having symptoms suggestive of Zika virus infection. All clients were treated for associated symptoms and did well. Based on the histories received from the cases, it was determined that there was a mix of travel-associated and local transmission.

Various government sectors in the Bahamas, including the Ministry of Health, Department of Public Health and Department of Environmental Health, continue to work in partnership to operate an active surveillance program and intense vector control and mosquito management to prevent the threat of Zika transmission.

For further information about Zika and The Bahamas, contact the National Disease Surveillance Unit at 242-502-4776, 242-502-4790, 242-376-3809 or 242-376-4705.

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