In February, the World Health Organisation had declared Zika a public health emergency after women affected by it had given birth to children with microcephaly, a birth defect with small head size.
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With more confirmed Zika cases in Singapore and Malaysia, Lam told reporters “there is quite a strong possibility of imported [Zika cases in Macau]”.
The Ministry is considering letting suspected Zika- infected patients rest at home while their blood and urine samples are tested, and sending confirmed cases home to recuperate, said Khor.
The ministry added that as more cases emerge in areas, there is evidence that “there is transmission in the community with the presence of infected mosquitoes”.
After Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong recently confirmed cases of the Zika virus, the director of the local Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), Lam Chong, has warned that the chance of Macau getting imported Zika cases is “quite high”.
“There is a potential new cluster involving one previously reported case and a new case today…”, the statement said.
MOH said doctors will continue to make the clinical judgment whether testing of Zika is necessary.
An August World Health Organization study also found that the Zika virus could be linked to the Guillain-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system.
Despite the optimism, share prices of hospitality business in Singapore crept down as news of Zika outbreak in the city-state scared some travellers off.
According to him, individuals could be infected with the Zika virus through Aedes mosquito bites and spread from one person to another through sexual intercourse. Singapore figures in the top 10.
The WHO has declared the Zika outbreak an global health emergency, and if Malaysia’s fight against dengue is any indication, it will struggle with Zika.
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But regional health experts believe Zika is significantly under-reported in Southeast Asia as authorities fail to conduct adequate screening and also because of its usually mild symptoms.
