title: Emergence of Zika Virus Epidemic and the National Response in Jamaica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Jamaica, along with the Americas, experienced major epidemics of arboviral diseases transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito in recent years. These include dengue fever in 2012, Chikungunya fever in 2014 and Zika virus infection (ZIKV) in 2016. We present the emergence of the ZIKV epidemic in Jamaica and outline the national response.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Ministry of Health's preparedness included: heightened surveillance, clinical management guidance, vector control and management, laboratory capacity strengthening, training and staffing, risk communication and public education, social mobilization, inter-sectoral collaboration, resource mobilization and international cooperation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first case of ZIKV was confirmed on January 29, 2016 with date of onset of January 17, 2016. From January 3 to July 30, 2016 (Epidemiological Week (EW) 1-30), 4648 cases of ZIKV were recorded (4576 suspected, 72 laboratory-confirmed). Leading symptoms were similar among suspected and confirmed cases: rash (71% and 88%), fever (65% and 53%) and joint pains (47% and 38%). There were 17 suspected cases of Guillain Barre syndrome; 383 were reported in pregnant women, with no reports of microcephaly to date. Zika and dengue viruses were circulating predominantly in 2016. At EW30, 1744 cases of dengue were recorded (1661 suspected and 83 confirmed). Dengue serotypes 3 and 4 were circulating with 121 reports of dengue haemorrhagic fever.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The possibility exists for endemicity of ZIKV similar to dengue and chikungunya in Jamaica. A ZIKV vaccine, similar to the dengue and chikungunya vaccines, is needed to be fast-tracked into clinical trials to mitigate the effects of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Kingston, Jamaica. E-mail: websterk@moh.gov.jm; kwebsterkerr@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Webster-Kerr
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
authors.forename: Cdc
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burrowes
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wellington
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De La Haye
keywords: Chikungunya; Guillain–Barré syndrome; Jamaica; Zika virus; dengue; epidemic; microcephaly; pregnancy