Most Zambians were elated by the news that Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex would be visiting the country. The latest and hottest couple from the Royal family in the UK, who’s wedding early this year caught the eye of many people wide-world, soon caused the internet backlash from the Zambian media, facebookers and other citizens. This followed the report by the Sun online that the Duchess of Sussex, won’t be visiting Zambia alongside her Husband because of the threat of the Zika Virus. The caution came to light as the celebrity Princess is expecting her first child with the Duke. Both the government of the Republic of Zambia and the United Kingdom have not issued a statement though, the Zambian High Commission in London have asked for a formal apology from the UK-based online tabloid.
What is Zika Virus?
Zika Virus is part of the group of viruses called Flaviviridea, the same family as the virus which causes yellow fever, Dengue and West Nile. It was discovered in Africa in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947. The first human case was recorded in 1952 and only 14 human infections were recorded by 2007. It is a re-emerging infectious disease because a new wave of infections have emerged in South America and South East Asia at a rate never seen before!
How is it spread?
Like other Flaviviridae viruses, such as yellow fever, Zika is spread by a mosquito bite which bite during the day and night. Zika is also spread through blood transfusion, sexual intercourse and from pregnant mother to a foetus- the real threat for the Princes!
How does one know they have Zika infection?
On most instances, one cannot even know they have been infected by Zika Virus because the infection usually go unnoticed. On some occasions, a person can develop symptoms like fever, headache, a skin rash, joint pains and muscle pains and red eyes. These symptoms are indistinguishable from most viral infections. Zika infections are usually mild and self-limiting and does not result in death!
Why the fuss about Zika?
The real problem Zika poses is for a foetus where babies infected during pregnancy are born with a small brain called microcephaly! The other complication from Zika infection is a condition called Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome (GBS). This condition is characterised by weakness which starts in the legs and ascends till the person fails to breath at which point it becomes fatal. GBS has been associated to a number of viral infections and not just Zika!
It Zika treatable?
There is no specific treatment for Zika and neither is there a vaccine. Treatment is supportive with such as pain killers (analgesics), antipyretics to bring down the fever and plenty fluids. However, people who have been infected before develops life-long immunity.
How do you prevent Zika?
Zika like most mosquito borne infections are preventable by different simple interventions like vector control-preventing breeding of mosquitoes! Putting on long sleeves when outdoor and use of mosquito repellents and use of insecticide treated mosquito nets.
Do we have Zika in Zambia?
The official communications from the Zambian government came in 2016, when the late Honourable Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Joseph Kasonde assured the nation amidst the height of the Zika epidemic in South America, that there was no Zika in Zambia. Check here; https://www.lusakatimes.com/2016/02/11/112940/). Two years earlier to that statement, South Africa, had indicated that Zambia was a high risk for yellow fever when WHO had declared it no risk in 2010. In Response, during the routine surveillance, WHO and Ministry of Health sponsored a study to evaluate the reclassification of no risk by WHO. During the same study done in Western and North-Western provinces of Zambia, the sero-prevalence [presence of antibodies] of Zika virus and other Flaviviruses were evaluated. It was found that the prevalence of Yellow fever (YF) was 0.6% and Zika was 6% [10 times higher than YF]. Sero-prevalence of both infections were strongly associated with travel to Congo DR and Angola. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4338443/ )
So the multi-million question; do we have Zika in Zambia? Probably yes! Caution to this data is that we are yet to report cases of microcephaly associated with Zika infection in Zambia or other African countries as seen in the Americas. Whether this is the same or different strain is yet to be established.
Should we make a fuss about the Princess not visiting us? Probably not! In the Western world, travel medical advice is take seriously and the attending physicians to the Duchess are well read to have advised her not to travel to Zambia based on the fact that the prevalence of Zika in Western and Northwestern Zambia stands at 6%. The only problem is that, the doctors did not look at the schedule of the royal couple which didn’t include visiting these two regions. Lusaka is likely a NO RISK based on the low prevalence of other Flaviviridea viruses. Based on that, the media team should have handled the information better. But one knows that allowing the Duke to travel ultimately puts the duchess at risk should he have travelled to these high risk places as explained above. Secondly, there has been cases of Zika infections in the US, the native country of the Duchess.
Should you be concern about travelling to any parts of the country or other countries, for health reasons, kindly visit the Travel Medical Clinic at the University Teaching Hospital.
Dr Francis Mupeta
This Mupeta is very styopeti.
Did someone pay him to write that there is a probability of ZIKA trace in Zambia, when the official statement from the Minister of Health a few days ago was an emphatic NO!?
He is an educated FOOL!
I agree with Mupeta! Zambia has failed to eradicate easier to deal with water borne diseases such as cholera and dysentry. Typhoid is also common place due to poor hygiene in many public places. The reasons for the failure have little to do with lack of resources.
In my view, a country that finds itself in such a position as Zambia has has absolutely NO moral right to complain about perceived negative publicity on disease prevalence no matter how remote the possibility of such a disease …
I love Hurry … He’s a dynamic Prince. But I was disappointed that Meghan did not make the trip to the best country God gave man on the continent of Africa.
It could have been more to do with advise from her mother because I know how women her mother’s vintage in America think about Africa.
That’s okay too because ignorance is bliss … but to based it on a falsehood coming from the British monarchy whose Queen Elizabeth II once confessed that visiting Zambia on July 28, 1979 was a twilight of her dreams was a little below the belt for me.
Hey, I was disappointed that President Obama never visited Zambia during his presidency too despite the country being one of the most favored countries by the US State Department.
I must admit Mupeta here just lost my family … the whole family. If I ever here any of my relatives say their Doc is Mupeta, I will immediately tell them to find another credible doctor. What a moron!!!
Meant to say “… If I ever “”hear”” any of my relatives say their Doc is Mupeta”
Boza mu article monga sibanayende ku sukulu!
Most Zambians were elated by the news that Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex would be visiting the country. Ati boza. Most Zambians? Did you do a research? But ba Dr Francis Mupeta simungapaseko secretary amichitilako edit article before posting? Too many grammatical errors
The typos my goodness! Is this guy a Doctor in medicine or a Doctor in copy and paste? Edit your damn work man… its pipo like you who bring down university rankings!
The Duchess of Sussex was right to not to visit Zambia.
I would hate the negative publicity if she did visit and contracted malaria, or cholera, or food poisoning.
Zika or no Zika, let us get over it.
You’re a So brainwashed
@Ba Lombe … you are so right. Otherwise Meghan does not need to visit her home country the United States of America while she is pregnant because Zika has been reported in Miami by the CDC.
So, using the same logic which isn’t even parallel anyway since no single case of Zika has been reported before in Zambia unless the US where actual stats show otherwise, she should never visit the US until she delivers.
Zika my foot, Mupeta too!!!
Meant to say ” … unlike the US where actual stats show otherwise …”
Boy I hate autocorrect sometimes
Zika or no zika but we do have ZCAS! The Duchess should have known and travelled with her man!
I have a PhD.
Thanks.
How much was this Mupeta guy paid to write such and place a probability of having a trace of ZIKA Virus in zambia?
The Minister of Health just issued a statement a few days ago that cleared the country of all such talk.
Some people are educated but still not informed. It’s a shame!
He reminds me of a an article the Washington Post in 1979 when they were covering the story of Queen Elizabeth II visit to Zambia. Their first sentence was and I quote, “War-torn Zambia gave Queen Elizabeth of Britain a colorful, carefree welcome today which was notably lacking in tight security despite fears in Britain for her safety.
Many in the spirited crowd of more than 5,000 at Lusaka airport broke through the thin security ranks and chanting and singing, surged around the queen and Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda” End of quote.
KK did not take no squat from nobody and the following day the Washington Post was made to retract their message. Here we are still tap dancing with no retraction from the British tabloids up to now.
Pathetic!!!
Why are you still whining about the nonvisit of a pregnant young woman. She is free to decide which country to visit whether they have incurable tropical diseases or not. Of course we all know that many tropical diseases are endemic in Zambia and we are proud of that. We would rather spend millions of dollars building a house for a geriatric corrupt former leader than spend the money building paediatric hospitals. Stop being ignorant! Zambia has many neglected tropical diseases and all you need is to spend money wisely to control these diseases rather than whinge about some obscure online report.
Yes, no one is forcing her to visit any country on Earth, including Zambia. But don’t make up lies as the reason why you don’t want to visit. Especially if those lies have the potential to affect Business/Tourism of the host Nation.
She could have just said she is tired to travel at the moment because she is pregnant. And no one would have cared. Why bring in bogus excuses of ZIKA? Have you ever heard of a ZIKA case in Zambia, EVER? Yet there have been cases of ZIKA reported in the U.S by the CDC (Center for Diseases Control.) But you don’t hear the British Govt issuing travel advisories to the U.S. Or British tabloids newspapers broadcasting SCREAMING HEADLINES about it. Ask yourself: why? Is the non-existent ZIKA in Zambia more dangerous than the proven ZIKA in America the…
Continue….
country Maghan comes from? Who knows, she might even have immunity to this already since I am sure she been to Miami before!
Come on Folks. Calm down. The Sun in the UK is a Trash pad note Red Necked people read, but it was correct that the embassy complained. And so can any Zambian living in the UK, write a complaint to the Broadcasting/newspaper standards people. The more complaints the better.
Other than that, give Hazza and Megazz a chance please as they just toured other far flung countries just recently in her early pregnancy.
The truth is Zambia is just not being respected enough considering our role in Freedom Fighting for most of the last British colonial controlled countries. Reasons they should be more respectful to Zambia:-
1. We have the most peaceful country in Africa and the developing world.
2. Most of the ‘Investors’ in the mining sector stealing our wealth are paying into UK…
2. Most of the ‘Investors’ in the mining sector stealing our wealth are paying into UK economy where they are based, one of them even lives in the houses around Kensington Palace.
3. Perfect weather, 4. Smiling faces of the friendliest Africans
The only advice to the government is to LISTEN to the people. Clean Environment (clean streets etc.). Plant grass lawns, flowers and Trees on all open spaces to contain the dusty air pollution people breath (very dangerous). The times I visited I got terrible chesty coughs.