Zika label removed from Caribbean

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says the World Health Organisation's (WHO) removal of the Zika virus country classification scheme, which categorised most of the Caribbean territories as having active Zika virus transmission, shall benefit tourism locally and regionally.

"This is a great benefit to the Caribbean for our tourism product."

Deyalsingh, speaking in a telephone interview, was responding to a release from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA ) announcing the move.

He recalled about three weeks ago went to New York and Washington on Pan American Health Organisation business and to the United Nations. He said the issue of TT and other Caricom countries which are dependent on tourism were all listed as category one countries (reintroduction with ongoing transmission). He said potential visitors would visit the WHO website to see which countries are safe to visit and not contract Zika.

"It deters tourism to the Caribbean islands. Many neighbours up north dependent on tourism spoke in Washington and New York about the negative impact the classification was having on the tourism industry, especially honeymoon tourism."

He said he and Caricom neighbours spoke very directly to WHO and to Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that the Caribbean should be classified as category three (area with interrupted transmission and potential future transmission).

"We spoke as one voice. All the ministers of health spoke."

Deyalsingh said they were supported by CARPHA with the provision of statistical evidence and he congratulated CARPHA and executive director Dr C. James Hospedales. He added the removal of the classification will especially benefit TT which wants to diversify into tourism.

CARPHA in the release said the removal by the WHO comes on the heels of data released by the body, giving evidence that the Zika virus transmission in the Caribbean had been interrupted for over 12 months, or was at undetectable levels, thereby posing very little risk to residents and visitors to the region.

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