The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, has become the latest location in the corporate area to report a case of the Chikungunya virus.

In an email circulated to all members of the University community, students and staff were advised that a case of the virus has been identified at the institution.

The email was sent shortly after 1 pm this afternoon.

It indicated that fogging of the campus as well as a 5-hundred meter radius going into the surrounding community would be undertaken shortly thereafter.

The email correspondence also reminded students and staff to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves, including destroying possible breeding sites for mosquitos, and the use of insect repellant containing DEET.

It also warned students to seek medical help if they develop any of the associated symptoms, including acute onset of fever and severe joint pain.

Efforts by Nationwide News to contact officials at the Ministry of Health were futile.

Earlier this month the Health Ministry was forced to ramp up its vector control programme after confirmation of two locally transmitted cases of the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus.

According to the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO, 31 countries in the region have now confirmed local cases of Chikungunya.

There’ve been 32 deaths resulting from the virus since the outbreak began in December last year.
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