'No screening at BIA for visitors from Latin American, African countries'

by Carol Aloysius

Health officials rejected claims of an active screening program for symptoms of the Zika virus currently spreading in Latin American and African countries for passengers arriving from these countries at the Bandaranaike International airport.

"Screening visitors from these countries is not recommended or necessary, as we don't consider that the disease poses a threat to us. Zika is only a mild viral fever and not a dangerous disease. It is a non-life threatening condition in most adults," Chief Epidemiologist Dr Paba Pallihawadana said.

Confirming there was no active screening of passengers from Latin American and African countries, Director, Human Quarantine Services, Dr Palitha Karunatema, under whose purview the Health Desk at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) operates, said " We work in collaboration with the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry and the WHO in respect of screening passengers from countries where there have been outbreaks of contagious diseases. We are still awaiting guidelines regarding this matter. Till then we are not carrying out any active screening on passengers from these countries. However, we are ready to initiate active screening if the need arises, as we have the necessary facilities."

Dr Palihawadana explaining the nature of the emerging virus said it was a mosquito borne disease, " It is the same vector, the aedes aegypti that causes dengue, chickungunya and yellow fever", she said.

"Anyone could be infected with the Zika virus. While 60-80% of Zika infections are asymptomatic (the incubation period lasts for three to 12 days), the most common symptoms are fever with muscle ache, a rash, and red eyes. Very rarely is Zika fever serious enough for hospitalisation, and deaths are even rarer, she said. " Zika fever is diagnosed through serum tests,.

The fever typically resolves on its own. At present there is no treatment for the virus. Rest and hydration, as well as pain and fever medications are usually recommended for patients," she said.

Asked if the fever could seriously affect foetuses of pregnant women as reported by certain foreign media , Dr Pallihawardana reiterated there was no scientifically proven fact to back this claim.Meanwhile, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed at least a dozen of cases, and the WHO has predicted almost all countries in the Americas are at risk of the virus.