In a follow-up to a report yesterday concerning a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel notice for Bermuda due to local transmission, the Bermuda Department of Health issued a press release published on the website, Today in Bermuda today saying the information in the CDC notice was erroneous.
Bermuda health officials say they have been in contact with the CDC requesting the information be removed. The source of the information used by the CDC has been identified and is also being corrected.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has been reporting 7 suspected and 3 confirmed autochthonous chikungunya cases in Bermuda since Dec. 12.
In 2014, three imported cases of Chikungunya were confirmed in Bermuda, with all three individuals having traveled to Chikungunya-affected countries in the Caribbean, health officials state.
The most current PAHO update dated Jan. 16 does not indicate any imported cases.
Investigation by the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit and proactive measures by Vector Control were implemented to prevent further spread and it was determined that there was no ongoing, local transmission. The most recent confirmed case was in mid-November.
NOTE 1-22-15: The CDC has removed the travel notice from their website and the PAHO has updated their report which now states 7 suspected locally acquired cases and 3 imported cases.
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