21 New Cases of Zika Mosquito-Borne Virus Reported in Central Bangkok

Twenty-one new cases of the Zika virus have been reported in Bangkok’s Sathon central business district. Photo FMT

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BANGKOK – Thialand’s Public Health Ministry has reported that twenty one new cases of the Zika mosquito-borne virus have been reported in Bangkok’s Sathon central business district, and that officials are now watching for more possible infections in several adjacent districts, brigng the total cases in the Nation to over a hundred.

Dr Wantanee Wattana, deputy permanent secretary for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), said those infected included a formerly pregnant woman whose husband had just returned from Singapore, the Bangkok Post reported.

Dr Wattana said the pregnant woman had a high temperature, rashes, joint pain and red eyes. She contracted the virus in the 37th week of her pregnancy but has since given birth and both the mother and her newborn are safe.

Health authorites found mosquito-breeding areas within a 100-metre radius of the family’s residence.

Surveillance of the infected people will remain active in the area for the next 30 days and in districts adjacent to Sathon.

The Public Health Ministry said Zika is of particular concern because it has been linked to birth defects, with cases of microcephaly widespread in Central and South America.

The 20 other cases of the mosquito-borne virus have been reported recently in Bung Kan, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai and Phetchabun provinces but control operations have proved effective, according to authorities.

Disease Control Department chief Dr Amnuay Gajeena however, said that people should not be too worried by the threat of Zika in Thailand, stating that Thailand has implement stringent measures to control the spread of the virus.

He said better monitoring and diagnostic system have lead to increased cases of Zika being detected in Thailand.

We can now identify Zika virus in local laboratories. We no longer need to send samples to a laboratory abroad for its decision. Once aZika case is detected, we set up an emergency operation center to control its spread both at the provincial or district level, “he said.

Zika disease, causes fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pains and dizziness, with recent evidence linking the virus to the syndrome of ‘microcephaly’ and ‘Guillain-Barre’.

Pregnant women should get care prabersalin where suspected any symptoms of it and need to get a medical examination.

Doctors are presently monitoring 20 pregnant women in the areas the Zika virus has been reported, with six of the women infected have already given birth to healthy babies, he said.