Zika Virus

They are briefing the Fiji contingent and warning travellers to Brazil of the threats.

 Health Minister Jone Usamate said they were also wary of the possibility of Team Fiji members carrying Zika back into the country upon their return. 

“The risk of importation of Zika by returning athletes and visitors is acknowledged and has been stressed to the medical team and athletes. The ministry envisages further discussions on health protection with the Rio Olympics medical team leading up to the date of departure.” 

The database is called the Zika Research Projects List.

In a press release, the agencies said PAHO has systematically identified and collected basic information on all investigations related to Zika, both those already published and those on track to be published. The database includes the title, authors and a direct link to the article. 

The ministry's permanent secretary, Dr Meciusela Tuicakau, also said there were 25 confirmed cases of typhoid in the cyclone-ravaged Central Division.

There are continued fears about an outbreak of mosquito-borne disease in Fiji after the category five Cyclone Winston devastated a large part of the country in February.

This year, Zika has been recorded in five Pacific countries, with more than 400 cases detected in American Samoa.

Dr Heine says although only one case of Zika has been confirmed in the Marshalls, Zika cases reported in the Pacific region are rapidly increasing and the Marshall Islands is highly vulnerable.

The declaration activates the Ministry of Health's Epidemiology Network as the focal point for action to provide direction, updates and advice to the government's National Disaster Committee.

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Last week, a pregnant woman in Queensland was tested positive for the Zika Virus after she returned from holidays in Tonga.

Loop PNG when enquiring on travel restrictions was told there are no travel restrictions in place as the World Health Organization says it is not necessary.

He however said airline operators have to comply with normal operations and spray inside the aircraft with repellents to kill any mosquitoes that could have boarded the flight.

Twenty-five samples were sent off island this week for testing, Lemanu said four are positive and one of the cases is a pregnant woman.

Lemanu has issued a declaration that the Zika virus is present in the territory leading to heightened cooperation of local government entities as well as US government support from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Unified Command Center have also been activated and overseen by the Health Department and the LBJ Medical Centre.

Santos also announced that a U.S. medical-scientific team will arrive in Colombia to help investigate the mosquito-borne virus.

Mr Dick said the woman, who travelled to El Salvador, and the child, who recently returned from Samoa, were both recovering well.

The woman, aged in her 20s, became ill after returning to the Gold Coast from the South American country.

She tested positive to the mosquito-borne virus in January and was treated in hospital but was now recovering at home.

Mr Dick said the child was admitted to hospital on Thursday.

"The positive test came back today," he said.

An American team of doctors and scientists will soon arrive in Colombia to help fight the disease, said Santos.

In a meeting with health authorities held Saturday in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, Santos said that the number of people infected by Zika virus in Colombia had reached 25,646, including 3,177 pregnant women.

Health Minister of Colombia Alejandro Gaviria also stated at Saturday's meeting that there would be 600,000 and 700,000 people to be affected by the Zika virus in Colombia this year.