THE number of Zika infections recorded in Singapore rose from 82 late Tuesday to 115 in just over a day, with one pregnant woman – the first so far – diagnosed yesterday.
According to Straits Times, the woman lives in the Aljunied area and a member of her household had earlier been diagnosed with Zika.
The report quoted the island state’s Health Ministry and National Environment Agency (NEA) as saying that doctors are keeping close watch over the woman and monitoring the development of her baby.
A Zika infection can have serious consequences on pregnant women and their unborn children. If infected, the virus can lead to microcephaly, a congenital condition that causes incomplete brain development. Babies with the infection are typically born with abnormally small heads.
SEE ALSO: Singapore Zika cases double to 82; more countries issue travel warnings
Health experts speaking at the same briefing with the ministry in Singapore Wednesday night said it was unlikely that the infection was from the member of the woman’s household, as both showed symptoms of the virus at around the same time.
BREAKING: First case of pregnant woman with #Zika infection https://t.co/Glqy8SuQsD pic.twitter.com/Gt71lfTfhd
— The Straits Times (@STcom) August 31, 2016
“Over time, we expect Zika cases to emerge from more areas. We must work and plan on the basis that there is Zika transmission in other parts of Singapore,” Health Minister Gan Kim Yong was quoted saying in a statement.
The report said that of all the recent cases recorded Wednesday, only two have no known links to the previously affected areas like Sims Drive, Aljunied Crescent, Paya Lebar Way and Kallang Way.
The two cases involves one person who lives in Joo Seng Road and another in Punggol Way, outside of the affected clusters.
SEE ALSO: Singapore: 41 infected with Zika virus, more cases expected
The ministry reportedly added that a new potential Zika cluster is Bedok North Avenue 3, where three cases were diagnosed on Tuesday.
A total of 24 new cases were detected between Tuesday and Wednesday, and an additional nine, which were detected during the ministry’s “look-back” testing of previous cases, the Straits Times wrote. This brings the total number of cases identified since Saturday to 115.
According to a Reuters report, China’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that it has been informed by Singapore that 21 of the cases involves Chinese nationals.
Meanwhile, Indonesia has joined the growing list of countries to issue advisories to those planning to travel to Singapore. It was reported yesterday that the U.S., Australia, Taiwan and South Korea have issued similar travel warnings to pregnant women.
SEE ALSO: Malaysians on alert after first reported Zika case in Singapore
As a precautionary measure, Singapore is offering free Zika testing to expectant mothers, especially those who develop fever and rash and other possible signs of the infection.
Scientists there have also developed a kit that they say can test for dengue, chikungunya and Zika all at once and within two hours.
According to a Straits Times report, the kit costs only a few dollars to produce and has drawn interest from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Scientists are currently compiling clinical data for health authorities and will send the kit over for testing by WHO soon.
#ZIKA: How it is carried by mosquitoes, its symptoms and the birth defects it could causehttps://t.co/1NFIyjkyon pic.twitter.com/Dvx6f9tB86
— TODAY (@TODAYonline) August 28, 2016
The first Zika infection in Singapore was announced in May. The virus, according to reports, had been imported by a 48-year-old man who had traveled to Brazil.
Zika is typically mild and seldom causes death, but shares symptoms with its vastly more fatal cousin, dengue – a common viral scourge in tropical Southeast Asia. Both are viruses are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. This makes nations ordinarily ravaged by dengue particularly vulnerable to Zika as well.
SEE ALSO: WHO declares Zika a global emergency as Southeast Asia braces for outbreak
Zika and dengue are both endemic to tropical climates, and patients tend to display similar symptoms, such as muscle and joint pain, rashes, headaches and fever. Southeast Asian countries have had cases of Zika as recently as 2010.
However, the outbreak of the Zika virus in South America and its suspected link to causing microcephaly among babies has raised serious health concerns around the world.
There are no vaccines for either disease, though researchers are currently carrying out clinical testing in regions vulnerable to the viruses.
The post Singapore’s Zika tally now 115, first pregnant woman diagnosed appeared first on Asian Correspondent.
