Malaysia on Thursday, September 1, reported its first suspected case of Zika, a 58-year-old woman believed to have contracted it in neighboring Singapore where more than 100 cases have been confirmed.
Advertisement
Dr Subramaniam said information obtained from Singapore’s Ministry of Health, revealed that there are five Malaysians residing and working in Singapore who have also been infected with the Zika virus.
Tropical Malaysia – which already has struggled in recent years to control the spread of Aedes-borne dengue fever – has been bracing for Zika after Singapore last weekend reported a surge in cases.
A Malay woman tested positive for the mosquito-born virus Zika after vising neighbouring Singapore where at least 115 people have been infected.
The pregnant woman was reportedly living in the virus-hit housing, the Ministry of Health and National Environment Agency said. Her doctor is following up closely with her to monitor her health as well as the development of the baby.
The three mosquitoes were trapped in a touristy 1.5-square-mile area of Miami Beach that had been identified as an active zone of active transmission of the virus, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said in a news release. Nine of the new cases were detected as a result of the MOH’s back-testing of patients who had shown signs of Zika symptoms.
The NEA said all confirmed Zika cases in the country will be confined to a public hospital until they recover and the virus has been removed from their system.
Indonesian Health Ministry spokesman Oscar Primadi said Thursday that health officials are recommending that the Foreign Ministry issue an advisory against nonessential travel to Singapore, particularly for pregnant women.
“Over time, we expect Zika cases to emerge from more areas”.
The announcement was made Thursday as a poll was released suggesting almost 48 percent of Americans are wary of traveling to USA destinations where people have been infected with Zika through mosquito bites.
He also called on Congress to provide the “necessary emergency resources” to fight the spread of the virus.
Advertisement
Sexual transmission of zika virus from a male partner is also possible, so travelers are also encouraged to use condoms or not have sex. According to the CDC, seven cases of Zika were reported in Cambodia between 2007 and 2010, all of which were successfully treated.
