Antigua and Barbuda have been removed from Zika advisories as the World Health Organisation (WHO) revises the virus? country classification.
Announcing the news, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism reasserted their commitment to the safety and health of its visitors.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had previously categorised Antigua and Barbuda along with most of the Caribbean territories as having active Zika virus transmission.
This removal by the WHO comes on the heels of data released by Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), giving evidence that the Zika virus transmission in the Caribbean had been interrupted for over 12 months, or was at undetectable levels, thereby posing very little risk to residents and visitors to the region. This was matched by data shared with CARPHA by Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States of America, which showed that no Zika had been detected for over 12 months in travellers returning from the Caribbean to their countries.
Antigua and Barbuda had its last confirmed case of the Zika virus in November 2016. There have been no cases detected since. Active surveillance and vigorous vector control have contributed to the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment?s success in combating the Zika virus disease.
Charles Fernandez, the destination?s minister of tourism, said: ?We are committed to protecting the health and safety of visitors to our shores, and we look forward to welcoming all our visitors inclusive of honeymooners, and families as they can now travel with peace of mind to Antigua and Barbuda.?
Visit www.visitantiguabarbuda.com to find out more.
