An outbreak of a mosquito- borne virus in the Caribbean has prompted a statement from Health Minister Jeanne Atherden.

Suriname, a CARICOM state on the northern coast of South America, reported on Tuesday that it had dealt with its first recorded case of chikungunya.

Symptoms range from sudden high fever to severe joint pain, muscle aches, headaches, nausea and rash.

Like the illness Dengue Fever, chikungunya is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, as well as Aedes albopictus.

Ms Atherden said there had been no cases in Bermuda, but almost 5,000 likely cases of the illness had been logged in the Caribbean since it first appeared on the island of Saint Martin last December.

The virus seldom causes death, but no cure or vaccine currently exists.

The Minister said anyone experiencing symptoms such as rapid fever, rash or arthritis either locally, when travelling or upon returning home, should report to a doctor.

“If you are sick with chikungunya, avoiding mosquito bites will help prevent further spread of the virus,” she said.

Residents were asked to check their properties for standing water, as Aedes mosquitos breed in these conditions rather than in marshes or tall grass.