Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Marion Bullock Ducasse, says persons need to be more vigilant, and take their responsibility in cleaning up their environment and destroying mosquito breeding sites.

This comes in light of the announcement by the Caribbean Public Health Agency on Thursday (November 12) that the Zika Virus has been detected in a Caribbean country, which has not been named.

Dr. Bullock Ducasse says the Ministry of Health is continuing its preparedness for any possible introduction of the Zika Virus in Jamaica.

She says focus is being placed on destroying breeding sites of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito which carries the virus.

She is urging Jamaicans to protect themselves from mosquito bites by using insect repellent containing deet.

Dr Bullock-Ducasse says the health teams will continue to work in parishes to assist in reducing breeding sites.

She is calling on members of the public to destroy mosquito breeding sites by looking for anything around the home, school, churches and business places that may collect water and either cover it, keep it dry or dispose of it.

Repair leaking pipes and outdoor faucets, cut the grass short and trim shrubbery, clear roof gutters and eaves to prevent water from settling and fill in and drain any low places in the yard such as areas where there are usually puddles when it rains.

The ministry says regional health authorities increased the frequency of fogging in several areas and will continue to pay close attention to high risk communities, pointing out that however that fogging is a temporary solution and cannot by itself solve the problem of mosquito breeding.

The virus has previously been reported in Brazil, Colombia and suspected in the Dominican Republic. The Pan American Health Organization has indicated that it has been confirmed in Suriname.

The Zika virus is a viral disease, transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which also transmits dengue and Chik V.

Symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, headache, nausea, and rash.