Florida also has reported 43 cases of local transmission of Zika in parts of Miami and Palm Beach County. It was ordered on Sunday to halt work and rectify the conditions that allowed mosquitoes to breed.
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Singapore is battling Zika after 41 locally transmitted cases were confirmed by the Ministry of Health on Sunday.
Most of the people infected are foreign workers from the construction site known as Sims Urban Oasis condominium at 60 Sims Drive. The virus, which can be transmitted sexually and through blood, increases the risk of birth defects among children born to infected mothers. Symptoms include fever, skin rash, red eyes, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headaches.
The best way to protect against Zika is to prevent mosquito bites by wearing an Environmental Protection Agency-registered repellent.
The MOH has worked with the contractors at the construction site at Sims Drive to screen the workers there who were recently reported by a general practitioner (GP) to have symptoms of fever, rash and conjunctivitis.
“It’s quite frightening because I thought Zika is something happening on the other side of the world”.
The first case of local transmission was confirmed on Saturday, 27 August, following blood and urine tests.
All travelers to the areas should take measures to avoid mosquito bites and report to airport quarantine stations or doctors if they think they might be infected with the Zika virus, it added.
“If you have tested positive for Zika, inform the Philippine Embassy immediately (6737-3977 or 9072-2797) so that the Embassy can render appropriate assistance”, Jose said.
The Zika virus, carried by mosquitoes, was detected in Brazil past year and has since spread across the Americas.
Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have also said health officers will closely monitor arrivals from Singapore, which was visited by 15mn people in 2015.
Singapore said that the National Environment Agency has also commenced operations in areas of concern, and that thermal fogging, misting and indoor spraying of insecticides have been carried out in certain areas.
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Owners of homes found with such sites can be fined up to Sg$5,000 ($3,700). In the first half of this year, tourism arrivals reached nearly 8.2 million, compared with around 7.3 million in the same period of last year.
