Northern Thailand Health Officials Report Two New Cases of Zika Virus

CHIANG MAI – Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, Deputy Director-General of the ministry’s Department of Disease Control, said Sunday that public health officials in northern Thailand have confirmed two new Zika virus cases in Sansai district of Chiang Mai province.

One of the two new cases is a 24-year-old six-month pregnant woman living at Ton Sarng village in Tambon Sansai Luang, Sansai district.

According to public health officials villagers in the communities have assisted to help eliminate breeding sources of mosquitoes after the woman was found to contact the disease.

The woman showed no signs of sickness although laboratory test revealed she has contacted the virus, raising the total accumulated Zika cases in Chiang Mai to 11.

Health officials have confirmed nine of the 11 patients have recovered from sickness.

The two new patients are now quarantined and under close monitoring for five days, and will be discharged after  completing the required 28 days of watch.

Health officials said the Zika patients show no sign of sickness, but the virus has been detected from blood tests.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has joined forces with parties concerned to speed up the eradication of breeding sources of common house mosquitoes, the carrier of the fatal Zika virus.

The Ministry of Public Healthhas coordinated with the Ministry of Interior and military units for joint operations against breeding grounds of the common house mosquitoes.