KINGSTON, Jamaica — Chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr Marion Bullock DuCasse, says the ministry has no evidence at this time to definitively say that there is Zika virus (ZIKV) in Jamaica.

DuCasse was speaking in response to claims by a medical doctor that she has treated cases of ZIKV recently.

“Zika virus has very similar symptoms to dengue and chikungunya and so a conclusive diagnosis without laboratory testing may not be possible. In addition, Zika has never been in Jamaica nor the Latin American and Caribbean region outside of Brazil and Colombia so we could not rely on just a suspicion.

“The ministry would have to take steps to confirm by laboratory testing if it is circulating if there is a suspicion,” DuCasse said.

Zika virus, a Health Ministry news release further said, is a Class one notifiable disease which means that by law, doctors are required to report any suspected case to the Ministry of Health within 24 hours using the prescribed protocols. The release said the ministry has not received any such report.

At the same time, DuCasse explained that the St Catherine Health Department has made contact with the doctor who has been making the claims and was told that she would provide the requisite information in a few days.

“Once we get this information we will review and determine whether to send samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) which is the confirmatory laboratory for Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean,” the chief medical officer explained.

She said the ministry will continue its heightened mosquito control activities island wide.