The dry spell this winter may very well be a mixed blessing, as although it has prompted farmers to pray for rain it has also helped keep the Zika-carrying Asian tiger mosquito away.
University of Malta rural sciences lecturer David Mifsud told The Sunday Times of Malta that the chances of a Zika virus outbreak in Malta are very remote.
Dr Mifsud explained that only two mosquitoes are capable of carrying the Zika virus: the Aedes aegypti mosquito and the Asian tiger mosquito.
“It is good to be attentive, but people must be equipped with all the facts. The chances of a Zika outbreak in Malta are very remote and there is really no need for alarm.
“The Aedes aegypti mosquito is not found in Malta, and sightings of the Asian tiger mosquito have been rare this winter due to the lack of rain,” Dr Mifsud said.
People infected by the Zika virus disease usually have symptoms that can include mild fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. The virus normally lasts for two to seven days but it can lead to birth defects if pregnant women are infected.
A 32-year-old man is currently being kept in isolation at home after travelling to American Samoa in January and subsequently contracting the virus on January 29.
He arrived in Malta on February 3, by which time he had no fever and the virus was no longer contagious.
For the Zika virus to spread in Malta, a female mosquito would have to bite a person who has already been infected. The same mosquito would then need to bite someone else in order to expose them to the virus. People infected with Zika carry sufficient amounts of the virus in their bloodstream to infect a mosquito from anywhere between three to 12 days after the initial infection.
This short window coupled with mosquitos’ two-week life-span make the risk of transmission in Malta remote, Dr Mifsud says.
Dr Mifsud advised people to take basic precautions like covering their water tanks and avoiding areas with stagnant water.
Last week, a man in the United States was reportedly infected by the Zika virus after having sexual intercourse, yet Mifsud dismissed this as a “far-fetched and isolated” report.
A spokeswoman for the Health Ministry said the Maltese authorities “are in constant contact with the World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, to assess, inform and keep updated with all the necessary requirements to control the Zika virus”.
The Maltese health authorities are setting up a working group to monitor and advise about Zika virus precautions in Malta.
A 24/7 helpline has been set up and can be reached on 2132 4086.