The babies were born with abnormally small heads, a condition threatening their brain development.
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In a joint statement, the Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency said the government’s objective is to keep the incidence of the disease low by reducing the mosquito population and breaking the disease transmission chain.
Florida is the first USA state to report locally transmitted Zika cases. Like the first case, which was confirmed on Wednesday, the woman is living in the Sims Drive-Aljunied Crescent cluster, authorities said.
The health chief also called on the public to help eliminate mosquito breeding places, as this will not only address possible transmission of Zika but also reduce cases of dengue. He said he has not been using any mosquito repellant.
According to the study, India tops the list of countries with most people risking to be infected by Zika, with some 1.2 billion people exposed to the virus in the country.
Transmission can occur through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito; from a pregnant mother already infected near the time of delivery to her newborn around the time of birth; from mother to fetus during pregnancy; and through infected blood or sexual contact.
Pregnant women without symptoms but with male partners who have been infected with Zika have also been encouraged to be tested. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika.
In response to Zika virus outbreak in Singapore, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that issuing a travel warning for Indonesians wishing to travel to the country was not necessary yet.
Florida officials on Thursday said they have trapped the first mosquitoes that tested positive for the Zika virus in the Miami area, further confirming reports of local US transmission of the illness, which can cause severe birth defects.
Senate Republicans have scheduled a vote on $1.1 billion in Zika funding for next Tuesday, when Congress comes back into session.
In recent weeks, US authorities determined that local mosquitoes were transmitting Zika in an area of south Florida, while the USA territory of Puerto Rico has experienced a widespread outbreak.
A key risk area identified was Angola, due to its strong cultural ties, and travel links, withBrazil. There’s a high risk that Zika could start circulating in New Orleans or Houston, the newspaper reported.
The United States and Britain have joined Australia and Taiwan in advising pregnant women to avoid non-essential travel to Singapore, while a local health expert has warned the infection rate would rise.
“People have to assume responsibility for this on their own”, he said, adding that people at risk of the disease should wear long sleeves and insect repellent.
They are aggressive feeders, commonly biting multiple people in quick succession, fueling the spread of the virus.
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This Q & A will tell you what you need to know about Zika.
