The Zika epidemic is blamed on the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which transmits the Zika virus – along with dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.
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Primadi said thermal imaging equipment to detect abnormal body temperatures was installed at eight Indonesian ports with routes serving Singapore, including the capital Jakarta’s airport.
In areas where Zika outbreaks were reported, researchers documented a significant increase in Guillain-Barre cases. “In fact, a pregnant woman can pass the Zika virus to her foetus and an infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects”, said Dr. S. S. Agarwal, national president of the IMA.
A recent poll found that 23 percent of Americans are at least somewhat anxious about contracting the Zika virus while 77 percent are not seriously concerned.
Of those infected in Singapore, 11 are Malaysians, the ministry said.
Although eradicating the mosquitoes that carry the virus is highly unlikely, officials are hopeful that the testing and control measures, along with the public health alerts, will keep Zika cases to a minimum.
Upon receiving the news, the Health Ministry immediately began vector control activities in areas where the patient frequented, targeting Aedes mosquito breeding sites.
Of those infected in Singapore, eleven are Malaysians, the ministry said.
On Friday, the World Health Organization confirmed that no new infections arose at the Olympics itself, and furthermore, no cases have been reported since travelers and athletes have returned to their home countries. But there are still many open questions about why Brazil has had a large cluster of babies born with microcephaly, or an abnormally small head.
Four cases of Zika infection were confirmed in Guinea-Bissau in July. The WHO has investigated 1,845 cases so far.
Ninety-five additional mosquito samples were subsequently tested for Zika and those mosquitoes were found to be Zika-free, the officials said.
Malaysia has stepped up screening of travellers from overseas, particularly Singapore, and fogging with mosquito-killing chemicals while urging the public to eliminate mosquito breeding sites such as stagnant water.
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More than two-thirds of people infected with Zika never get sick, and symptoms are mild for those who do and as such, the surveillance systems may have missed cases.
