By Lynford Simpson, Parliamentary ReporterHEALTH MINISTER John Junor disclosed yesterday that further tests will be done on the local bird population to determine whether the potentially lethal West Nile Virus has reached the island.
The tests to be conducted by overseas-based experts are likely within the next two weeks, he said.
The Minister made the announcement at a sitting of Parliament's Standing Finance Committee examining the Estimates of Expenditure for 2003/04.
He admitted under questioning from Dr. St. Aubyn Bartlett, Opposition Member of Parliament, that local birds may have been infected. He said preliminary tests had detected the presence of viral antibodies in some birds. However, he cautioned that further tests were necessary to determine whether the virus had reached the island.
The Minister said overseas-based experts would arrive in the island within the next two weeks "to sit with us to go through all of this."
A veterinary surgeon, Dr. Bartlett explained that the presence of viral antibodies meant that a particular animal or bird had been exposed to the virus.
"The fact that we have been able to find viral antibodies in some birds means that there is a source of the virus on the island. They (the authorities) will need to do a lot of net trapping of mosquitoes to see if they can find the virus," he said.
When asked if the mosquito population now carries the virus thus exposing the birds to the disease Mr. Junor said: "If there is confirmation yes. And this is why we have taken the step to issue a release. And we will also, in addition to that release, be stepping up our vector control programme."
Mr. Junor said more mosquito traps would be set to determine whether the mosquito population was infected with the virus. He said Portmore, St. Catherine, home to Caymanas Park and the $4 billion a year horseracing industry would be one of the priority areas.
Noting that the racing industry could be severely affected by the disease, Dr. Bartlett said: "This is really sad news if that is the case."
He explained that being a dead-end host, horses do not exhibit the clinical signs of the disease but will harbour the virus. Racing authorities had warned that the racing industry could be crippled if the virus reached the island.
Two weeks ago, Dr. Cedric Lazarus, senior veterinarian at the Veterinary Services Division in the Ministry of Agriculture, announced that initial tests on dead birds handed over by members of the public had proved negative for the virus. Yesterday Dr. Bartlett told The Gleaner the viral antibodies were found in live birds.
Prior to being diagnosed in the United States in 1999, the West Nile virus was found only in Africa, the Middle East and some regions of Asia. Nearly 4,000 cases of the virus in humans were reported in the United States up to January 15, 2003. Several deaths have been recorded in that country.
While most persons exposed to the virus will not have any problems, the over 50 age group and individuals with weakened immune systems are said to be most at risk.
Symptons of the disease include fever, headaches, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and mild rash. If the condition progresses to West Nile Encephalitis (swelling of the brain) additional symptons may include stiffness of the neck, coma, confusion and muscle weakness.
