A 47-Year-Old Malaysian Woman Is Singapore's First Locally Transmitted Zika Virus Victim
Three other people may be down with the virus.
By Sadho Ram — 28 Aug 2016, 01:05 PM
In the first locally transmitted case, a 47-year-old Malaysian woman, who lives in Singapore's Aljunied Crescent, has tested positive for the Zika virus. She has no travel history to Zika-affected countries.
According to The Straits Times, "three other people may be down with the virus. Two live near the woman's workplace, with one working nearby. Their preliminary tests were positive, but the authorities are waiting for final confirmation."
It reported the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA), which in a joint press statement had said that the Malaysian woman was likely to have been infected in Singapore itself, saying the patient, who had developed symptoms such as fever, rash, and conjunctivitis earlier on Thursday, saw a doctor on Friday.
Following which, she was sent to the Communicable Diseases Centre (CDC) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital where on Saturday, she tested positive for the Zika virus.
Following which, NEA has stepped up misting and fogging in the Aljunied area to kill adult mosquitoes, and the MOH has alerted all general practitioners (GP) in the area to be extra vigilant in quickly reporting patients suspected to have the Zika virus to the ministry
When Channel NewsAsia visited Aljunied Crescent on Saturday evening, NEA flyers were seen on lift landings, informing residents of the symptoms and dangers of the Zika virus. There were also flyers stating that fogging would be carried out on Sunday, due to dengue cases in the area.
The Malaysian, meanwhile, has been hospitalised for observation at the CDC and is currently well and recovering, it was reported
The unnamed woman lives at Block 102, Aljunied Crescent, and works in the vicinity.
Many residents there, however, had no clue that their estate was home to Singapore's first locally transmitted case of Zika virus, reported The New Paper.
Although, The New Paper quoted one Ms. Mastika, who is five months pregnant, as being visibly stunned when told about the news.
"Here? In our block? That is scary. It's something I've always been fearful of," she said.
Zika virus infection can cause microcephaly in the unborn foetuses of pregnant women.
The National Environment Agency has since taken steps to monitor the situation at Aljunied Crescent and prepare residents for battle, reported The Straits Times, putting up posters up at the lift landings of Block 102 and providing background information on the virus
Leaflets on the Zika virus at the lift lobby of Block 102, Aljunied Crescent.
Image via Seah Kwang Peng/The Straits TimesTin Pei Ling, MP for MacPherson, who is in touch with the Ministry of Health for regular updates, wrote on Facebook that while Block 102 is not an active dengue cluster, NEA will be thermal fogging the area as a precautionary measure.
The Straits Times quoted her saying, "I urge pregnant ladies to monitor your health especially carefully, as Zika can affect the development of an unborn child. As a mother, I am deeply concerned about this and had in fact raised this issue in Parliament."