KSAC to Deploy Volunteers in Education Drive Against CHIK-V

The Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) will be deploying some 31 volunteers throughout the municipality on October 15 in its public education drive to control the Chikungunya virus, which is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito.

Ongoing work has been on in earnest by the KSAC, and several Ministries and agencies, to clear areas where the outbreak has been reported by officials at the Health Department.

In conjunction with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), the KSAC will be training over 100 volunteers to assist with public education in the mitigation exercise.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of the KSAC, on October 14, at its downtown Kingston offices, Deputy Mayor, Councillor Andrew Swaby, while outlining the focus of the volunteers, reported that fogging and other measures have been done by the Health Department, to minimize the spread of the virus.

“The volunteers will work in groups and engage community members in eliminating breeding sites, promoting personal care, and create public awareness by the distribution of flyers,” he said.

Since September, some 251 communities in the Corporate Area have been fogged, a total of 5,042 containers inspected, along with other collaborative work with Councillors, Council officials, to contain and reduce the disease.

“We will continue to monitor the data in relation to the public education and continued treatment activities. We continue to urge residents to take the necessary precautions, so as to minimize the spread of this dreaded virus,” the Deputy Mayor said.

Councillor Swaby said if persons suspect that they may have contracted the virus, they should seek medical attention.

The KSAC has also activated its Parish Emergency Operations Centre, in collaboration with ODPEM.