The U.S. Maritime Administration has issued the following advisory:
Advisory No: 2016-01
Date Issued: FEB 10, 2016
To: ALL OPERATORS OF U.S. FLAG, EFFECTIVE U.S. CONTROLLED VESSELS, U.S. MERCHANT MARINERS AND OTHER MARITIME INTERESTS
Subject: ZIKA VIRUS PRECAUTIONS
1. U.S.-FLAG OPERATORS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD THIS ADVISORY TO THEIR SHIPS BY THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS.
2. MARAD ADVISORIES ARE PUBLISHED ON THE MARAD WEB SITE AT WWW.MARAD.DOT.GOV/NEWSROOM/ADVISORY AND ON THE MARITIME SAFETY INFORMATION WEB SITE AT MSI.NGA.MIL/NGAPORTAL/MSI.PORTAL. SELECT BROADCAST WARNINGS, SCROLL DOWN TO SEARCH BOX, AND SELECT MARAD ADVISORIES.
3. THE U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) RECENTLY ISSUED SEVERAL TRAVEL NOTICES AND A HEALTH ADVISORY ON RECOGNIZING, MANAGING AND REPORTING ZIKA VIRUS INFECTIONS IN TRAVELERS RETURNING FROM CENTRAL AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, THE CARIBBEAN AND MEXICO. IN ADDITION, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HAS DESIGNATED ZIKA VIRUS AS A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OF INTERNATIONAL CONCERN.
4. ZIKA IS A VIRUS THAT IS SPREAD BY MOSQUITOES AND MAY ALSO BE SPREAD VIA BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, SEXUAL CONTACT AND FROM MOTHER TO CHILD DURING PREGNANCY. ONLY ABOUT ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE INFECTED WITH THE ZIKA VIRUS WILL EXHIBIT ANY SYMPTOMS. THOSE WHO DO MAY EXPERIENCE FEVER, JOINT PAIN, CONJUNCTIVITIS, MUSCLE PAIN AND/OR A HEADACHE. THE CDC IS ALSO INVESTIGATING A POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN BIRTH DEFECTS AND ZIKA INFECTION DURING PREGNANCY.
5. THERE IS NO VACCINE FOR ZIKA VIRUS. TRAVELERS TO AFFECTED AREAS (SEE HTTP://WWW.CDC.GOV/ZIKA/GEO/) SHOULD FOCUS ON PREVENTING MOSQUITO BITES BY WEARING LONG SLEEVES AND PANTS, USING EPA RECOMMENDED INSECT SPRAY PER LABEL DIRECTIONS AND TAKING OTHER PRECAUTIONS LISTED AT HTTP://WWW.CDC.GOV/ZIKA/PREVENTION/.
6. MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO CONSULT HTTP://WWW.CDC.GOV/ZIKA/ REGULARLY FOR CURRENT UPDATES ON THIS HEALTH THREAT AND MARINE SAFETY INFORMATION BULLETIN 01-16 AT WWW.USCG.MIL/MSIB FOR INFORMATION ON MARITIME INDUSTRY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR VESSEL CREWMEMBERS OR PASSENGERS WHO MAY BE EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OF ZIKA VIRUS.
7. MARINERS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO VISIT HTTP://WWWNC.CDC.GOV/TRAVEL/NOTICES/ FOR ADDITIONAL CDC TRAVEL HEALTH NOTICES.
8. THIS ADVISORY IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
9. CANCEL THE FOLLOWING MARAD ADVISORIES:
2006-01 (ACTIVATION OF THE NATO SHIPPING CENTER);
2007-01 (REPLACEMENT OF ATP 2 VOL II NCAGS);
2011-03 (GUIDANCE TO VESSELS TRANSITING TO OR FROM PORTS IN JAPAN);
2012-01 (VESSELS TRANSITING NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN FROM JAPAN TO U.S. WEST COAST);
2013-01 (IRANIAN NAVAL EXERCISES);
2013-04 (CORONAVIRUS);
2014-01 (GUIDANCE TO VESSELS TRANSITING AND OPERATING IN THE WATERS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA);
2014-02 (EBOLA VIRUS PRECAUTIONS);
2014-03 (GUIDANCE TO VESSELS AND PORT OPERATORS THAT VISIT OR RECEIVE VESSELS TRANSITING FROM WEST AFRICAN NATIONS AFFECTED BY EBOLA); AND
2015-02 (TIANJIN, CHINA EXPLOSIONS).
10. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ADVISORY, CONTACT CAMERON NARON, DIRECTOR OF MARITIME SECURITY, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, CODE: MAR-420, 1200 NEW JERSEY AVE, S.E., WASHINGTON, DC 20590, TELEPHONE 202-366-1883, FAX 202-366-3954, TLX II 710.822.9426 (MARAD DOT WSH), OR EMAIL [email protected] .
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