SINGAPORE – Singapore authorities on Sunday confirmed 27 more cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection, bringing the total there to 242, shortly after a new study showed 2.6-billion people live in countries ideal for Zika to spread.
Advertisement
In February 2016, the World Health Organization announced a global state of emergency over Zika, predicting as many as four million cases by the end of the year.
The U.N. health agency convened its expert committee this week to assess the latest status of the epidemic.
Regional experts say the spread of Zika across Southeast Asia is likely to remain significantly under-reported as health authorities fail to conduct adequate screening. The virus is not a serious health emergency only in the nation, but also across the world.
On Friday, the World Health Organization said the outbreak of Zika remains an worldwide health emergency and noted that the virus is continuing to infect new countries.
While expectant mothers have to take precautions against the virus, he pointed out that in pregnancy, there are also many other risks involved.
Dr. David Heymann, chairman of WHO’s emergency committee, said the virus is increasingly becoming a concerning matter. “The risk is relatively low, but significant”.
The Philippines on Monday reported the country’s first locally-transmitted case of Zika, while Malaysia confirmed its first locally-transmitted case on Saturday. Heymann said that studies are ongoing in the country and that the explanation could involve numerous factors.
Salama said officials are still trying to figure out whether the two known strains of the disease both cause microcephaly.
“Especially for people travelling from Singapore and other areas with Zika cases or those with Zika symptoms, we’ll test them for Zika and also require all airlines from Zika infected areas to take anti-mosquito measures on their flights before they land here”, Lam said.
Advertisement
Another mystery is whether immunity to the African Zika strain would offer protection against the Asian strain now in circulation. First, not many people are as bothered about dengue even though it is more fatal than Zika and has infected more than 11,000 people here this year.
