Jamaica Reports 4-Year-Old Boy First Zika Virus Victim

The first case of Zika virus infection in Jamaica was reported after a 4-year-old child from Portmore, Santa Catalina tested positive on Jan. 29. The boy showed some symptoms back in Jan. 17 after a visit in Texas, according to a statement released by the country's Ministry of Health.

"It's unclear whether the child picked up the virus in Jamaica or Texas. The ministry said it is investigating the case to determine the source of the infection," according to a USA Today report.

"The virus has been associated with a sharp jump in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads, mainly in Brazil. It is also linked to increases in Guillain-Barre syndrome, in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis," the report also added.

The Jamaican health authorities have stepped up their campaign against the Zika virus transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. They also warned pregnant women in the country and advised them to take extra precautionary measures to prevent mosquito bites.

The country's health ministry is already alerting its people flashing the warning, "Be Aware, Zika is Near" in its website. The health officials urged their people to be prepared, protect themselves from mosquito bites and prevent the breeding of these insects.

In order to prevent mosquito bites, the ministry recommends using mosquito repellent with Deet, sleeping inside a mosquito net, covering the body as much as possible and wearing light-colored clothes.

They also asked the people to do their part in the prevention of mosquito breeding. They advise the locals to identify and eliminate breeding grounds inside and outside their homes, and to conduct clean-up drives within the community, especially in schools and offices.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport and Works announced that it has already released J$200 million for the purpose of cleaning different areas in the country to combat the Zika virus, according to a report from The Gleaner-Jamaica.

The funds came from the Tourism Enhancement Fund, the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already released some guidelines, especially, for pregnant women. The CDC advised them to put their plans of travelling on hold from countries affected by the Zika virus outbreak, such as Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador,French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Martin, Suriname, Samoa, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.