https://www.scmp.com/rss/322113/feed The Zika disease is caused by a virus transmitted by the Aedes egyptus mosquito and is believed to have contributed to a spike in cases of microcephaly in Brazil and other parts of the Americas. Microcephaly refers to an abnormally small head for a newborn child. Usually, the Zika virus is relatively mild and requires no specific treatment. As of 2016, no vaccine, preventative drug or specific treatment is available. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lisa Lim Lisa Lim Chikungunya is on everybody’s radar these days as cases increase significantly worldwide, including across Asia. “That which bends up” is what the virus’s name means in Kimakonde (also known as Makonde), a Bantu language of the Makonde ethnic group from southeast Tanzania and northern Mozambique, deriving from the verb kungunyala “to assume a contorted position”. The moniker makes reference to one of the hallmark symptoms of the disease: along with abrupt onset of high fever, headache, nausea,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3322034/how-mosquito-borne-viruses-chikungunya-dengue-and-zika-got-their-names?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3322034/how-mosquito-borne-viruses-chikungunya-dengue-and-zika-got-their-names?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Aug 2025 00:45:08 +0000 A team of Chinese scientists has identified gut bacteria in mosquitoes that could prevent them being infected by viruses such as dengue and Zika, and ultimately blocking these pathogens from being transmitted to humans. The researchers said the findings could offer a naturally occurring method to reduce mosquito-borne virus transmission and tackle the global public health concerns of virus outbreaks. “This bacterium may be introduced into mosquito populations in dengue-endemic areas to reduce... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3259489/chinese-team-links-mosquito-gut-bacteria-disease-free-zones-offering-hope-biocontrol-solution-dengue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3259489/chinese-team-links-mosquito-gut-bacteria-disease-free-zones-offering-hope-biocontrol-solution-dengue?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Apr 2024 06:00:19 +0000 Zika, a virus made infamous nine years ago through countless South America travel advisories about its potential dangers, may actually do some good. A recent Nemours’ Children’s Health study on mice found that the virus has the potential to shrink tumours from a rare and deadly form of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. Each year, neuroblastoma accounts for only 6 per cent of childhood cancer diagnoses, but high-risk neuroblastoma causes 15 per cent of childhood cancer deaths. Fewer than... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3249157/zika-virus-could-treat-childhood-cancer-us-researchers-find?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3249157/zika-virus-could-treat-childhood-cancer-us-researchers-find?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jan 2024 19:58:35 +0000 Researchers in the United States have shown for the first time they can safely and effectively infect human volunteers with Zika virus, a step towards learning more about the disease and developing vaccines and treatments. The study – known as a “controlled human infection model” – has previously been controversial for Zika because of the risks to participants and lack of treatments. But US regulators and the World Health Organization ruled the new model, developed by a team at the Johns Hopkins... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3238770/us-scientists-infect-volunteers-zika-hunt-vaccines-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3238770/us-scientists-infect-volunteers-zika-hunt-vaccines-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Oct 2023 19:01:11 +0000 Dengue and Zika fever viruses can manipulate the scent of their host to make it more attractive for mosquitoes to pass the viruses on, a group of Chinese researchers have found. The finding, published on Cell online journal on Thursday, opened the door to a new strategy for controlling mosquito-vectored diseases with a vitamin supplement to interrupt the process and potentially reduce the risk of infecting others with the virus. Dengue virus, which causes fever, rash and sometimes death, is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3183822/chinese-scientists-unlock-mosquito-mystery-scent-study-could-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3183822/chinese-scientists-unlock-mosquito-mystery-scent-study-could-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jul 2022 09:24:03 +0000 Pandemics are conventionally thought of as “black swan” events – totally unexpected and unpredictable. The Covid-19 pandemic challenges this notion. This pandemic was neither unexpected nor unpredictable; many infectious disease experts, myself included, have repeatedly warned of epidemics of novel and known pathogens that have the potential to threaten both global public health and economic security. A black swan Covid-19 is not – more a grey swan, perhaps. Over the past 25 years, the world has... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3082788/covid-19-no-black-swan-and-crisis-shows-pandemic-prevention-must-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3082788/covid-19-no-black-swan-and-crisis-shows-pandemic-prevention-must-be?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2020 17:00:05 +0000 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has used “Wuhan virus,” and, until recently, President Donald Trump often used “Chinese virus,” to refer to the novel coronavirus. These terms contribute to the discrimination against East Asians in America and Europe. Their use has also been criticised as an attempt to cover up the failure of the American government’s responses to the outbreak. A more serious problem is that the idea implicit in these terms – that the outbreak is a Chinese problem – and the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3078822/coronavirus-stricken-west-blaming-china-dangerous-waste-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3078822/coronavirus-stricken-west-blaming-china-dangerous-waste-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2020 22:00:13 +0000 Financing for private companies in Asia is likely to slow amid the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus but could bounce back afterwards, according to a CB Insights report, which draws on how the 2003 Sars and 2016 Zika epidemics impacted markets in their respective regions. It may add to an already cooling venture capital landscape in China amid the economic slowdown and the US-China trade war. In 2019, the amount of funding raised by Chinese startups fell 44 per cent from the year before to a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3048679/funding-asian-start-ups-likely-slow-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-if?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3048679/funding-asian-start-ups-likely-slow-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-if?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Feb 2020 05:45:07 +0000 Scientists have wiped out the entire population of mosquitoes on two islands in southern China using radical techniques to render the males infertile, according to a new study that could transform the fight against a range of deadly diseases. Over nearly two years, scientists released more than 200 million specially bred male Asian tiger mosquitoes on Shazai and Dadaosha islands in the delta to the south of Guangzhou city, the area with the highest number of dengue fever cases in China. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3019028/chinese-scientists-new-technique-wipe-out-mosquito-populations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3019028/chinese-scientists-new-technique-wipe-out-mosquito-populations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2019 17:00:10 +0000 A novel virus, moderately contagious and moderately lethal, has surfaced and is spreading rapidly around the globe. Outbreaks first appear in Frankfurt, Germany and Caracas, Venezuela. The virus is transmitted person-to-person, primarily by coughing. There are no effective antivirals or vaccines. American troops stationed abroad are infected. Now the first case to reach the United States has been identified on a small college campus in Massachusetts. So began a recent day-long exercise hosted by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2148618/john-hopkins-mock-global-pandemic-leaves-150-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2148618/john-hopkins-mock-global-pandemic-leaves-150-million?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 May 2018 06:26:26 +0000 China is developing a super-sensitive radar that can detect the wing-flapping of a mosquito up to 2km (1.2 miles) away, according to a senior scientist involved in the government research project. A prototype of the device is being tested at a defence laboratory at the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), said the researcher, who declined to be named as the project involves sensitive technology used in China’s missile defence system. “Identifying and tracking individual, mosquito-sized targets... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2137051/how-china-using-military-radar-technology-wage-war-mosquitoes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2137051/how-china-using-military-radar-technology-wage-war-mosquitoes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Mar 2018 02:30:00 +0000 A cocktail of three antibodies has shown promise in preventing Zika virus infection in monkeys, and moves next into trials in humans, researchers said on Wednesday. The mosquito-borne Zika virus swept across Latin America, the Caribbean and southern United States in 2015 and 2016, sparking a global health emergency due to its ability to cause brain-related birth defects. While the threat posed by Zika has subsided because people cannot become infected twice, researchers are pressing on with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2114142/hopes-first-zika-vaccine-sight-after-antibody?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2114142/hopes-first-zika-vaccine-sight-after-antibody?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Oct 2017 08:57:34 +0000 This summer, a Silicon Valley tech company will have millions of machine-raised, bacteria-infected mosquitoes packed into windowless white vans, driven inland and released into the wild or, at least, the streets of Fresno, California. And, yes, Fresno County officials are encouraging this. It’s all part of the “Debug Fresno” project, which aims to cut down on the number of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, an unwelcome invasive species that arrived in California’s Central Valley in 2013. In addition to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2103344/us-scientists-trick-mosquitoes-zika-breed-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2103344/us-scientists-trick-mosquitoes-zika-breed-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jul 2017 16:46:10 +0000 Zika, the mosquito-borne virus that triggered public health alarm bells last summer, has receded from the spotlight. But, experts say, expect the virus to pose a renewed threat this year. How great of a threat? That’s where it gets tricky. No locally acquired cases of the virus have been reported in the United States this year. But as public health agencies gear up for mosquito season, uncertainty remains around what resources states may need and whether they will receive adequate federal... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2096276/zika-virus-threat-may-be-even-more-potent-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2096276/zika-virus-threat-may-be-even-more-potent-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 May 2017 18:58:04 +0000 Brazil has declared an end to its public health emergency for the Zika virus, 18 months after a surge in cases drew headlines around the world. The mosquito-borne virus wasn’t considered a major health threat until the 2015 outbreak revealed that Zika can lead to severe birth defects. One of those defects, microcephaly, causes babies to be born with skulls much smaller than expected. Photos of babies with the defect spread panic around the Western Hemisphere and around the globe, as the virus... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/2094077/brazil-declares-end-zika-emergency-after-95-cent-fall-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/2094077/brazil-declares-end-zika-emergency-after-95-cent-fall-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 May 2017 05:42:35 +0000 A 31-year-old woman has been confirmed to be Hong Kong’s first imported Zika virus case this year, prompting the government to implement emergency mosquito control measures. The patient, who was in a stable condition on Wednesday, was receiving treatment in an isolation ward in the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital in Tai Po. She was admitted there on Monday. Last year, there were two imported Zika cases. The woman, who is said to have been in good health and lives in Fortune Plaza in Tai... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2090930/hong-kong-woman-who-travelled-south-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2090930/hong-kong-woman-who-travelled-south-america?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Apr 2017 01:00:37 +0000 About 1 in 10 pregnant women infected with Zika in the United States last year had a baby or foetus with serious birth defects, according to the startling results of study released Tuesday that represents the largest and most comprehensive analysis of Zika’s consequences for pregnant women. Women infected during the first trimester of pregnancy had an even higher risk of birth defects, about 15 per cent, according to the analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The estimates... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2084862/zika-leads-one-10-us-women-having-deformed-fetus-or?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2084862/zika-leads-one-10-us-women-having-deformed-fetus-or?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Apr 2017 18:28:18 +0000 Zika may be spread by as many as 35 species of mosquitoes, including seven found in the United States, according to a predictive model created by University of Georgia ecologists and published Tuesday in the journal, eLife. The virus spread rapidly through Brazil and the Caribbean in 2015 and 2016, leading to a spike in babies with severe birth defects born to mothers infected with Zika while pregnant. But despite being named a public health emergency by the World Health Organization and by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/2074918/zika-still-little-understood-35-species-mosquitoes-spread-disease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/2074918/zika-still-little-understood-35-species-mosquitoes-spread-disease?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Feb 2017 19:00:01 +0000 Zika hasn’t gone away, but as the mosquito-borne virus has faded from the headlines, travellers seem less concerned about it than they were last year. “We had a big downturn in honeymoon business last year,” said Hans Pfister, who owns the Lapa Rios Lodge in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. This year, he says, “is the opposite. A real boom of honeymooners. I guess everybody is catching up. We don’t get asked questions anymore. Right now is the dry season and it is not an issue. When the rainy season... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2073320/remember-zika-it-hasnt-gone-away-some-travellers-are-shrugging-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2073320/remember-zika-it-hasnt-gone-away-some-travellers-are-shrugging-now?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Feb 2017 04:03:01 +0000 One year ago today, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the mosquito-borne virus known as Zika an international public health emergency. Zika is no longer classified as a crisis, according to a WHO statement in November, but despite the best efforts of health officials, the number of global infections continues to rise. Vietnam in particular has faced a high number of outbreaks over the past month. The Southeast Asian nation’s very first case was reported in April 2016 but late last... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2067091/one-year-zika-emergency-virus-may-go-endemic-vietnam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2067091/one-year-zika-emergency-virus-may-go-endemic-vietnam?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Feb 2017 02:30:00 +0000 A US study of pregnant women with Zika finds that 6 per cent of the pregnancies resulted in birth defects. The rate was nearly twice as high for women infected early in pregnancy. The authors say the US findings fit with research from other countries. All 442 women were infected outside the United States, or had sex with someone who got Zika in an outbreak area. Zika is spread primarily by mosquitoes and has mostly affected the Caribbean and Latin America. Birth defects were seen in 21 babies... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2054649/birth-defects-seen-6-cent-us-pregnancies-zika?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2054649/birth-defects-seen-6-cent-us-pregnancies-zika?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Dec 2016 18:30:45 +0000 US researchers have found evidence of the Zika virus replicating in fetal brains for up to seven months after the mother became infected with the virus, and they showed the virus can persist even after birth, according to a study published on Tuesday. The findings confirm earlier observations from case studies suggesting that the mosquito-borne Zika virus can grow in fetal brains and women’s placentas. “Our findings show that Zika virus can continue to replicate in infants’ brains even after... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2054410/zika-virus-can-keep-growing-infant-brains-months-after-birth-cdc-reports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2054410/zika-virus-can-keep-growing-infant-brains-months-after-birth-cdc-reports?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Dec 2016 02:19:30 +0000 Texas health officials on Monday reported the state’s first case of Zika likely spread by local mosquitoes, making Texas the second state within the continental United States to report local transmission of the virus that has been linked to birth defects. The case involved a woman living in Cameron County near the Mexico border who is not pregnant, the Texas Department of State Health Services said. Pregnancy is the biggest concern with Zika because the virus can cause severe, life-long birth... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2049985/texas-second-us-state-report-infection-zika-virus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2049985/texas-second-us-state-report-infection-zika-virus?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Nov 2016 22:51:07 +0000 The World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Friday that the Zika virus and related neurological complications no longer constitute an international emergency but said that it would continue to work on the outbreak through a “robust programme”. The WHO’s Emergency Committee, which declared an international public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in February, said in a statement that they felt that “the Zika virus and associated consequences remain a significant enduring... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2047472/who-declares-end-zika-virus-emergency-vigorous-action-still-needed-versus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2047472/who-declares-end-zika-virus-emergency-vigorous-action-still-needed-versus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:59:49 +0000 Mosquito control measures were conducted in a Yuen Long village on Wednesday morning after the city confirmed its second imported Zika case on Tuesday. The operation, involving about 35 workers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, started at about 10am in Yan Shau Wai in San Tin, where the 56-year-old male patient reportedly lives. The patient developed rashes and fever symptoms after returning from a trip to the Caribbean, including St Maarten and Anguilla, last week. Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2046512/workers-conduct-mosquito-control-measures-yuen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2046512/workers-conduct-mosquito-control-measures-yuen?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Nov 2016 05:15:45 +0000 The Zika virus is able to infect people even after sitting out on a counter for several hours, according to new research. But the good news is that in that state, it is also easy to kill with common household chemicals. The study, published Tuesday, found that the Zika virus — which can produce severe brain defects in foetuses and young children and has been linked to other harmful conditions — can be highly contagious even after hours of living outside a host. The research was conducted by... https://www.scmp.com/tech/science-research/article/2046471/zika-can-survive-hours-hard-non-porous-surfaces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/science-research/article/2046471/zika-can-survive-hours-hard-non-porous-surfaces?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Nov 2016 03:15:15 +0000 A 56-year-old man was yesterday confirmed to be the city’s second imported Zika case, prompting the government to take extra mosquito control measures. The patient, who was in stable condition yesterday, received treatment under isolation in the North District Hospital. The man, who is in chronic condition and lived in San Tin, Yuen Long, developed a fever on November 8, and rash and diarrhoea last Friday, after travelling alone to New York, Antigua and Barbuda, St Maarten and Anguilla. He was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2046260/hong-kong-confirms-56-year-old-man-citys-second?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2046260/hong-kong-confirms-56-year-old-man-citys-second?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Nov 2016 14:31:48 +0000 Zika virus ravages the testes of male mice, sharply reducing sperm counts and fertility, says a study that raises a new spectre about its threat to people. Experiments found testes of infected mice shrank about 90 per cent by weight, while their output of useful sperm fell by three-quarters on average, and often more. Now it’s time to find out if Zika causes similar damage in men, experts said. “We just don’t know that yet,” said Michael Diamond of the Washington University School of Medicine in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2041762/zika-ravages-mice-testes-raising-worries-over-male?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2041762/zika-ravages-mice-testes-raising-worries-over-male?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Oct 2016 17:14:37 +0000 Vietnam has reported its first case of microcephaly likely linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The four-month-old girl with an abnormally small head was born in central Vietnam to a mother confirmed to have had the virus when she was pregnant. The Ministry of Health’s General Department of Preventive Medicine said on its website on Sunday that the case had a “high probability of being linked to Zika virus and also the first in Vietnam”. If confirmed, Vietnam would be the second country in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2041646/vietnam-reports-first-zika-linked-microcephaly-birth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2041646/vietnam-reports-first-zika-linked-microcephaly-birth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Oct 2016 09:25:38 +0000 Myanmar has detected its first Zika infection with state media reporting on Friday that a pregnant foreign woman had been diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus. The World Health Organisation warned earlier this month that Zika was likely to spread throughout Asia after being detected in 70 countries worldwide, including at least 19 in the Asia Pacific region. While the virus linked to birth defects has been present in Southeast Asia for years, there has been an uptick in the number of recorded... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2040958/pregnant-foreigner-becomes-first-zika-case-detected-myanmar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2040958/pregnant-foreigner-becomes-first-zika-case-detected-myanmar?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Oct 2016 05:49:36 +0000 Researchers are infecting mosquitoes in Brazil and Colombia with a type of bacteria that could prevent them from spreading the Zika virus and other dangerous diseases. British and American governments are teaming up with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK-based Wellcome Trust to expand field tests in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and the city of Bello in northwest Colombia, philanthropist Bill Gates told a conference Wednesday. The tests revolve around the Wolbachia genus of bacteria,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2040565/experts-infect-mosquitoes-bacteria-prevent-them-spreading-zika-virus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2040565/experts-infect-mosquitoes-bacteria-prevent-them-spreading-zika-virus?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Oct 2016 05:07:18 +0000 The race to find protection against the Zika virus is fueled by something often missing from tropical disease research: the potential for big profit. The prospect of a blockbuster vaccine against a mosquito-borne virus has accelerated the pace of development and attracted the interest of big drugmakers, including Sanofi SA , GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Although Zika infections are mild or asymptomatic in most people, demand for a vaccine is expected to be strong because it... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2025166/analysis-global-race-zika-vaccine-inspired-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2025166/analysis-global-race-zika-vaccine-inspired-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Oct 2016 20:00:45 +0000 Thailand is considering testing all pregnant women for Zika, the health ministry said on Monday, following confirmation last week of its first known cases of microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size, linked to the Zika virus. The two confirmed cases of microcephaly were the first in Southeast Asia linked to Zika, which has been spreading in the region after outbreaks in the Americas. “The health minister has asked us to study whether this is necessary and cost-effective,” health... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2024632/thailand-considers-zika-tests-all-pregnant-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2024632/thailand-considers-zika-tests-all-pregnant-women?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Oct 2016 08:42:03 +0000 Thailand confirmed on Friday that the Zika virus had caused two cases of microcephaly, a condition that results in babies being born with small heads, the first time microcephaly had been linked to Zika in Southeast Asia. “To summarise, we have found two cases of small heads linked to Zika, the first cases in Thailand,” Prasert Thongcharoen, an adviser to the Department of Disease Control, told reporters in Bangkok. He declined to say where in Thailand the cases were found. The World Health... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2024006/thailand-confirms-2-cases-zika-linked-microcephaly-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2024006/thailand-confirms-2-cases-zika-linked-microcephaly-first?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Sep 2016 07:41:17 +0000 The Philippines on Monday reported its first known case of a pregnant woman infected with the Zika virus that threatens unborn babies, as authorities warned people to avoid mosquitoes. Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said 12 cases of Zika had been detected across the Philippines this month, including a 22-year-old woman from the central island of Cebu who is 19 weeks’ pregnant with her first child. “Initial ultrasound did not detect any foetal abnormalities. She will be monitored regularly during... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2022609/philippines-reports-first-zika-case-pregnant-woman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2022609/philippines-reports-first-zika-case-pregnant-woman?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Sep 2016 07:14:54 +0000 Singapore is exploring plans to establish a national surveillance programme to monitor the development of babies born to pregnant women infected with the Zika virus, the state-owned Channel NewsAsia (CNA) said on Friday. Sixteen pregnant women have been confirmed to have the virus in Singapore, CNA said, quoting the Ministry of Health - a doubling of the eight cases reported on September 11. Singapore Zika cases hit 215; scientists say strain is Asian, not from Brazil CNA said the ministry was... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2022135/singapore-mulls-monitoring-programme-babies-born-women-zika?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2022135/singapore-mulls-monitoring-programme-babies-born-women-zika?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Sep 2016 16:23:37 +0000 Singapore is basking in the global limelight as it hosts the Formula One Grand Prix this weekend but behind the razzmatazz the city-state’s stand-off with Zika continues as medical experts and officials warn the virus is here for the long haul – much like dengue, which continues to fester and pose a persistent danger. Zika has been detected in more than 300 people in Singapore since the first locally transmitted case was detected on August 27, making the financial and transit hub the single... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2020092/how-strong-singapores-safety-net-against-zika-virus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2020092/how-strong-singapores-safety-net-against-zika-virus?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Sep 2016 09:00:45 +0000 The world should prepare for a “global epidemic” of microcephaly, in which children are born with abnormally small heads, as the Zika virus takes root in new countries, researchers said Friday. Scientists from Brazil and Britain said they had found additional evidence that Zika is what causes the often debilitating disorder, a link already widely accepted in medical circles. In a study conducted among newborns in Brazil - hardest hit by a joint outbreak - nearly half of 32 infants with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2019937/prepare-global-microcephaly-epidemic-zika-researchers-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2019937/prepare-global-microcephaly-epidemic-zika-researchers-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Sep 2016 01:41:33 +0000 Walt Disney said the Zika virus isn’t hurting its theme-park business in Orlando, Florida, disputing concerns raised by an analyst. The virus is having “no real impact on cancellations or future bookings,” a Disney spokeswoman said in an interview Thursday. The comments reiterated those of Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger, who said on an August 9 earnings conference call that the virus wasn’t hurting business. BTIG LLC analyst Rich Greenfield, citing a survey of travellers, said Zika cases in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2019848/disney-sees-no-florida-fallout-zika-virus-refuting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2019848/disney-sees-no-florida-fallout-zika-virus-refuting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Sep 2016 19:18:02 +0000 A 28-year-old Chinese man who had been working abroad in Guatemala has been confirmed as the first person to be infected with the Zika virus in Henan province. The unnamed man, originally from Xian, in Shaanxi province, lives and works in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan, had been on a business trip in the Central American country for more than two months. China in travel warning to its citizens as Singapore reports 30 Chinese nationals with Zika virus He developed symptoms of the disease, such... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2018889/chinese-man-confirmed-first-person-zika-virus-henan-province?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2018889/chinese-man-confirmed-first-person-zika-virus-henan-province?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Sep 2016 03:44:17 +0000 Eight pregnant women have been infected by the Zika virus among the 329 cases in Singapore, the government said on Sunday. Doctors are providing close support and counselling, the Ministry of Health and National Environment Agency said in a joint statement. On Sunday, the government confirmed 11 new cases of locally-transmitted Zika. No evidence Zika virus in Singapore is more or less severe than strain in Americas While most people experience mild symptoms, Zika infections in pregnant women... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2018437/8-pregnant-women-among-329-infected-zika-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2018437/8-pregnant-women-among-329-infected-zika-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Sep 2016 14:25:12 +0000 Eleven countries in South and East Asia on Friday agreed to establish an emergency fund to strengthen their health services to better respond to outbreaks of diseases, including emerging viruses such as Zika, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday. Made up of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, South Korea, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste, the South East Asia region is highly susceptible to disasters such as floods which can result in disease... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/2018253/asian-nations-plan-emergency-fund-better-prepare-disease-outbreaks-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/2018253/asian-nations-plan-emergency-fund-better-prepare-disease-outbreaks-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Sep 2016 08:00:45 +0000 The head of the US government’s fight against the Zika virus said that “we are now essentially out of money” and warned that the country is “about to see a bunch of kids born with microcephaly” in the coming months. Friday’s warning from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Thomas Frieden came as lawmakers start to sort out a stopgap government funding bill that is being targeted to also carry long-delayed money to battle Zika. Zika is spreading more widely in the US and can not... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2018178/us-disease-director-essentially-out-money-fight-zika?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2018178/us-disease-director-essentially-out-money-fight-zika?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Sep 2016 19:12:13 +0000 There is no evidence that the Zika outbreak in Singapore is caused by a viral strain that is more or less severe than the strain circulating in Latin America, Singapore media reported on Thursday, citing the health ministry. Singapore has so far detected more than 280 Zika infections since reporting its first case on August 27. Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly – a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized – as well as other brain... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2017750/no-evidence-zika-virus-singapore-more-or-less-severe-strain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2017750/no-evidence-zika-virus-singapore-more-or-less-severe-strain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Sep 2016 15:04:40 +0000 Malaysia on Wednesday reported its first case of a pregnant woman with Zika – a resident of a Malaysian state bordering Singapore where authorities have already recorded 275 cases. The 27-year-old woman in the southern state of Johor is the third case detected in Malaysia, where fears of a full-blown outbreak emanating from Singapore are mounting. The woman is expecting her first child and is three to four months pregnant Malaysia’s Health Minister S. Subramaniam Infected pregnant women can give... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2017187/malaysia-reports-its-first-case-pregnant-woman-zika-virus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2017187/malaysia-reports-its-first-case-pregnant-woman-zika-virus?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Sep 2016 09:10:50 +0000 The Zika virus can live in eyes, researchers said Tuesday, after conducting experiments on mice that may explain why some patients develop ocular disease and in some cases become blind. The study, published in the journal Cell Reports, studied the effects of Zika virus infection in the eyes of fetal, newborn and adult mice. “Our study suggests that the eye could be a reservoir for Zika virus,” said Michael Diamond, a professor at the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis who is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2017128/zika-virus-can-live-eyes-and-could-spread-through-tears-study-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2017128/zika-virus-can-live-eyes-and-could-spread-through-tears-study-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Sep 2016 06:35:42 +0000 China has issued an alert to citizens planning to travel to Singapore where the number of Zika infection cases has risen to 275, including 30 Chinese nationals who are in the city-state. The warning from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, made on Wednesday, also required ports across the mainland to step up health checks, quarantine controls and epidemic monitoring. Is China next? Zika scientists forecast that 2.6 billion in Asia and Africa will be at... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2017070/humid-southern-china-hotbed-mosquitos-steps-zika-checks-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2017070/humid-southern-china-hotbed-mosquitos-steps-zika-checks-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Sep 2016 04:45:30 +0000 The World Health Organization on Tuesday toughened its advice on preventing the spread of Zika, saying anyone returning from areas hit by the virus should practise safe sex for six months afterwards. The updated guidelines mean the UN health body’s recommendations regarding sexual transmission are now the same whether or not people are showing symptoms of the virus. “WHO recommends practising safer sex or abstinence for a period of six months for men and women who are returning from areas of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/2016488/safe-sex-or-no-sex-six-months-after-visiting-zika-hit-areas-who?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/2016488/safe-sex-or-no-sex-six-months-after-visiting-zika-hit-areas-who?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Sep 2016 18:32:57 +0000 Singapore on Saturday reported 215 cases of Zika infections as scientists in the city-state said the virus strain comes from within Asia and was not imported from Brazil. The Ministry of Health and National Environment Agency said in a joint statement on Saturday evening that of the 26 new cases reported Saturday, 24 were linked to a cluster in the Aljunied district where the country’s first locally-transmitted cases were reported. The statement did not say where the other two cases were... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2014248/singapore-zika-cases-hit-215-scientists-say-strain-asian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2014248/singapore-zika-cases-hit-215-scientists-say-strain-asian?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Sep 2016 13:49:48 +0000 The Malaysian health ministry on Saturday said it has detected the first case of a locally transmitted Zika infection in a 61-year-old man in the state of Sabah. The man died from heart disease complications, and not from the mosquito-borne virus, the health ministry said on Saturday. The ministry had said earlier that the patient was already suffering from high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, kidney stones and gout before he sought medical attention on August... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2014168/malaysia-detects-first-case-locally-transmitted-zika?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2014168/malaysia-detects-first-case-locally-transmitted-zika?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Sep 2016 09:29:37 +0000