Scientists say Singapore Zika is Asian, cases reach 200

Among those in Singapore who have been infected are 11 Malaysians who are living and/or working in the city-state. Strategic use of available health and human resources is essential to prevent or mitigate the health, economic, and social consequences of Zika virus, especially in resource-limited countries.

The Zika virus, which has spread through the Americas and the Caribbean since previous year, is generally a mild disease but is a particular risk to pregnant women. This news story is related to Latest/147506-Scientists-Singapore-Zika-Asian-cases-200/ – breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the patient, a 61-year-old man in Taman Public Jaya Likas, had developed fever on Aug 27 and sought medical attention for the first time in Luyang Health Clinic on Aug 30.

She said the department would also step up monitoring of clinics and hospitals for cases showing signs of Zika infection with travel history to Zika-affected countries.

These are people who reside in as-yet unaffected parts of the world with the right climate and abundant mosquitoes for the virus to settle, spread and propagate an epidemic like the one besetting the Americas and Caribbean, they said.

Since reporting its first Zika infection, Malaysia has increased insecticide spraying to kill mosquitoes.

Benign in most people, Zika has been linked to a form of severe birth defect called microcephaly which causes newborns’ heads to be abnormally small. Singapore figures in the top 10.

It causes only mild symptoms for most people such as fever and a rash.

A study in Brazil of 70 babies whose mothers had confirmed Zika infections found that almost 6 percent had hearing loss, adding a new complication to the list of ills the virus can cause when women are infected during pregnancy.

But if Malaysia’s fight against dengue is any indication, it will struggle with Zika.

Malaysia recorded a total of 120,836 dengue cases a year ago, including 336 fatalities – the most since 1995, according to government data.

The committee said Zika infections constitute a public health emergency of worldwide concern.

No Zika infections were reported in Brazil during the Olympics, either among athletes or visitors, the World Health Organization said Friday.

The hospital then tested the patient’s blood and urine, with results coming back positive for the Zika virus.