WILLEMSTAD - The chance that Rift Valley Fever will appear in Curaçao is small now. This is according to entomologist Gisette Seferina. The World Health Organization recently warned of this virus that can cause major harm to unborn babies. This is shown by the recent study in which rats were used as laboratory animals. The fetus died in 65 percent of the infected animals. Healthy adults suffer from fever and pain.

According to Seferina, the virus does not occur in the region, but only in Africa and Asia. She points out that nowadays a virus easily comes across by air traffic. The Aedes Egypti mosquito that occurs frequently in Curaçao could be a vector to transmit the virus.