Zika cases jump in Singapore: first pregnant woman and 21 Chinese nationals among infected
The number of people in Singapore infected with the Zika virus has jumped to 115 after the government reported 24 new cases including the first pregnant woman.
The pregnant woman who tested positive lives in the same area where the first known locally acquired Zika infection was reported last weekend, according to a joint statement by the Health Ministry and the National Environment Agency.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that its embassy in Singapore had been informed by the island state’s health ministry that 21 Chinese nationals in the country are confirmed to have been infected with Zika.
In a statement sent to Reuters, the foreign ministry added that the health situation was not serious and that some of them had recovered. The infected were believed to be construction workers.
The infected pregnant woman lived in the Aljunied Crescent or Sims Drive area, the first reported infection cluster.
Her doctor is following up closely with her to monitor her health and the development of her baby and she will be referred to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist for counselling and advice.
The government is gearing up for the spread of Zika infections to a bigger area in the tiny island state, where dengue is already rife.
Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong was quoted as saying in a statement: “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.”
The government is intensifying efforts to combat the spread of the virus, which is transmitted by the same Aedes mosquito that also causes dengue that has been a perennial problem in the city-state.
Kyodo and Reuters
