Malaysia is stepping up efforts to warn people of the risks of Zika after it confirmed its first case of a pregnant woman with the mosquito-borne virus.
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Malaysia reported its first case of Zika last week in a 58-year-old woman who had recently visited Singapore, and reported its first locally transmitted infection on Sunday.
Dr Noor Hisham said the man lives in Johor Bahru but commutes to Singapore for work daily.
Pic: ReutersA patient whose husband works in Singapore has been found to be the first pregnant woman in Malaysia infected with the Zika virus.
But his statement said she had visited Singapore six months ago and her husband regularly makes trips to the city-state. She sought medical attention in Government Hospital on Sunday after being referred to hospital by a private General Practitioner and was admitted for further investigation.
Subramaniam added that the husband had shown similar symptoms September 2nd and been admitted to a hospital ward for investigation. However, the man later died from heart-related complications.
“Despite the area still having Aedes mosquito population, Active Case Detection conducted around the locality of the patient’s home showed there was no other person with Zika symptoms. And the only way to avoid increasing in numbers of cases is by self protection and in the control of breeding sites of Aedes mosquito”, Subramaniam said.
The MOH has advised women who tested positive for Zika infection to avoid being pregnant and to practice safe sex for at least eight weeks from the date of diagnosis.
As of September 7, there were more than 18,800 confirmed cases of Zika virus in U.S. States and Territories.
But pregnant women who catch it can give birth to babies with microcephaly, a deformation marked by abnormally small brains and heads.
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The Zika virus, which has spread rapidly in recent months, can be sexually transmitted or spread via mosquitos.
