15 new cases of locally-transmitted Zika virus have been confirmed on Monday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced.
Advertisement
But even before that, a clinic in the Aljunied area – Sims Drive Medical Clinic – had informed MOH of an “unusual increase” in cases with fever, rash and joint pain on Aug 22.
Zika virus can cause severe brain damage in newborns whose mothers were infected during pregnancy. It is also screening workers staying at the dormitories located near the affected areas.
Zika is spread mostly by infected Aedes species mosquitoes, which are not found in North Dakota.
In an advisory posted on its official Facebook account, the Philippine Embassy urged Filipinos living in the affected areas, especially pregnant women, to monitor their health.
The agency said pregnant women or women who are planning to get pregnant are advised to postpone traveling to areas where Zika is actively spreading.
Vietnam has to date reported three cases of locally transmitted Zika infection.
The first case of Zika infection was a 48-year-old man who had travelled to Brazil and returned in May.
According to the World Health Organisation, the Zika virus is now present in at least 58 countries globally with evidence of local transmission in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Almost all have recovered but nine more suspected cases of Zika virus infection – both citizens and foreign workers -were reported today by two community clinics, local media said.
Dr. Scott Harris, Infectious Disease Physician with Alabama Department of Public Health, said the person in Marshall County acquired Zika by traveling overseas.
Taiwan’s Centre for Disease Control raised the travel notice level for Singapore to Level 2 for the Zika virus.
Infected patients show mild or no symptoms, making the virus hard to detect.
Singapore is a densely populated tropical island with frequent rain.
It said 36 breeding habitats – comprising 22 in homes and 14 in common areas/other premises – had been detected and destroyed.
But all the latest cases involved local transmission.
Advertisement
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.
