Prevention and control actions taken by Peru to eliminate Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, carriers of Zika, have delayed the entry of the disease in the country, whose territory has been declared free of native cases according to a map recently released by the World Health Organization (WHO), Peru’s Health Minister Anibal Velasquez informed.
According to the government official, health sector experts have strengthened preventive, monitoring and surveillance measures against Zika mosquitoes breeding.
As soon as Peru confirmed its first imported case, the sector stepped up fumigation efforts in more than 1000 houses near the residence of the Venezuelan man that contracted the disease, which has helped control and prevent the vector’s transmission and breeding.
Ministries of Health (Minsa) and Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) have engaged the private sector to undertake a fumigation campaign at hotels, restaurants and other tourism-related establishments in the North and Amazon area.
“The two ministries are working together to provide verified, timely and permanent information on the actions being carried out nationwide to prevent the spread of the virus,” he said.
He went on to add that control has been enhanced at border checkpoints in Tumbes —main entry point of those arriving from Zika-affected areas.
(END) NDP/ SMS/ART/RMB/MVB
Published: 2/11/2016