The Malaysian woman returned from Singapore with her husband on Aug 21 after a three-day visit to their adult daughter, who had already been confirmed as having the Zika virus in Singapore.
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Zika, which is spread mainly by the Aedes mosquito, has been detected in 67 countries and territories including hard-hit Brazil.
“This (management of pregnancies) is very important”.
Malaysia on Wednesday (Sep 7) confirmed its first case of a pregnant woman infected with the Zika virus, Malaysia’s Health Minister S Subramaniam said. Women should avoid becoming pregnant and practise safe sex for eight weeks after infection.
She is being treated in the hospital now, said the minister.
Zika infections in pregnant women cause microcephaly, a serious birth defect in which the head and the brain of the child are undersized along with many other abnormalities.
He also noted that if the lives of infected pregnant women are threatened, they can have abortion, but he said doctors should take decision in a “case by case” manner. However, the government advised travellers to spray the vehicles by themselves before entering Malaysia. About 200,000 Malaysians commute daily from Johor to the city-state. Aedes control measures have been increased in Johor Bahru and around the house of the patient, he added.
Symptoms of Zika infection include fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis (red eyes), muscle pain, headache, pain behind the eyes and vomiting.
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The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light a year ago in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly. Zika virus was confirmed by laboratory testing Monday.
