Chief Laboratory Technologist in the Ministry of Health, Claudette Laidlow-Williams, said while testing for the chikungunya virus is not conducted locally, every effort is being made to ensure early detection.
With three confirmed cases of the disease thus far, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is among a growing list of chikungunya-affected countries in the Eastern Caribbean.
Mrs. Laidlow-Williams said all regional testing for the disease are conducted by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) as there are no validated test kits available for use in individual countries.
Mrs. Laidlow-Williams explained that CARPHA utilizes a testing method with a greater level of reliability.
