Singapore Local Zika Cases Increase To 215

[niman]

Singapore has reported 215 cases of Zika infections, as scientists in the city-state said the virus strain came from within Asia and was not imported from Brazil.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-03/singapore-reports-new-strain-of-zika-originating-in-asia/7812172

Edited September 3, 2016 by niman

[niman]

Zika virus: Singapore reports new strain originating in Asia; Malaysia detects first local case

Updated about 2 hours ago

PHOTO: Scientists say the virus strain in Singapore was not imported from Brazil. (AFP: Yuri Cortez)

RELATED STORY: Malaysia confirms first case of Zika

RELATED STORY: Pregnant woman in Singapore infected with Zika as cases soar

MAP: Singapore

Singapore has reported 215 cases of Zika infections, as scientists in the city-state said the virus strain came from within Asia and was not imported from Brazil.

Key points:

• Scientists say the virus evolved from South-East Asia strain and was not imported
• Malaysia says it expects the number of local transmissions to grow
• It is urging residents to adopt preventative measures

The Ministry of Health and National Environment Agency said in a joint statement on Saturday evening that of the 26 new cases reported on 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 from.

A week after Singapore reported its first case of locally transmitted Zika infection, local scientists say they have completed genetic sequencing of the virus.

"The analysis found that the virus belongs to the Asian lineage and likely evolved from the strain that was already circulating in South-East Asia. The virus from these two patients was not imported from South America," the statement said.

The Aedes mosquito-borne Zika, which has been detected in 67 countries and territories including hard-hit Brazil, causes only mild symptoms for most people such as fever and a rash.

But pregnant women who catch it can give birth to babies with microcephaly, a deformation marked by abnormally small brains and heads.

Malaysian man dies in country's first locally transmitted case

Meanwhile, the Malaysian health ministry 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 patient died because of heart-related complications, the ministry said, and was already in fragile health due to heart problems, high blood pressure and other maladies.

The patient, whose blood and urine samples tested positive for Zika, did not travel overseas recently and was probably bitten by Aedes mosquito infected with Zika, the ministry said.

"Since the Zika virus has been detected in this country, Zika case is expected to increase further, especially if prevention activities for Aedes are not seriously taken up by the community, individuals and other relevant agencies," the ministry said.

On Thursday, Malaysia confirmed the first imported case of Zika in a 58-year-old woman who had visited Singapore.

The city-state announced the first locally contracted case of Zika last Saturday, and the number of diagnosed infections has grown steadily.

Of those infected in Singapore, 11 are Malaysians, the ministry said.

Zika virus explained

Zika virus was first isolated in 1947, in a rhesus monkey at Uganda's Zika Forest. So what is it, where is it, and how does it spread?

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last year in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly.

In adults, Zika infections have also been linked to a rare neurological syndrome known as Guillain-Barre, as well as other neurological disorders.

There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes.

An estimated 80 per cent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.

AFP/Reuters

[niman]

Joint MOH-NEA Statement (3 Sep) 

 

Tags:

• News Highlights

        As of 12pm, 3 September, MOH has confirmed 26 new cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection in Singapore. Of these, 24 cases are linked to the Aljunied Crescent/ Sims Drive/ Kallang Way/ Paya Lebar Way cluster. Two cases have no known links to any existing cluster.

2.     The National Public Health Laboratory has worked with A*STAR’s Bioinformatics Institute to complete the sequencing analysis of the Zika virus found in two patients from the Aljunied Crescent/ Sims Drive cluster. The analysis found that the virus belongs to the Asian lineage and likely evolved from the strain that was already circulating in Southeast Asia. The virus from these two patients was not imported from South America. The research team will release more details shortly.

Vector Control Update

3.    NEA has been continuing with vector control operations to control the Aedes mosquito population in Aljunied Crescent / Sims Drive / Paya Lebar Way / Kallang Way. As of 2 September, 57 breeding habitats – comprising 32 in homes and 25 in common areas/other premises – have been detected and destroyed. NEA officers and grassroots volunteers are also continuing with outreach in Paya Lebar Way and Kallang Way. 

4.    NEA has also conducted vector control operations and outreach efforts in Bedok North Avenue. As of 2 September, 26 breeding habitats – comprising 17 in homes and 9 in common areas/other premises – have been detected and destroyed. Mosquito control measures are ongoing. NEA officers are continuing with outreach in this cluster as well.

5.    In these two cluster areas, indoor spraying of insecticides, outdoor fogging, and oiling and flushing of drains are continuing. In such areas with active transmission, outdoor fogging and indoor spraying and misting are both necessary because there may be infected adult mosquitoes in both outdoor and indoor areas that need to be destroyed before they bite and infect more people. These methods are, however, only effective if the insecticide has direct contact with the mosquitoes, and thus have to be repeated frequently as new batches of mosquitoes will continue to emerge until all breeding habitats are found and removed. Hence, routine fogging is not a sustainable vector control measure – source reduction is still a more effective and sustainable strategy. 

6.    For non-cluster areas, the most effective mosquito control measure for keeping mosquito population low is still source reduction, through detecting and removing breeding habitats and killing larvae, as it eliminates the mosquitoes at the most vulnerable stage of their life cycle. This is in line with WHO’s recommendations for vector control.

7.    Community outreach activities over these two weekends across the island, including today, are ongoing to urge all residents to join in the collective efforts in the fight against Zika by doing the 5-step Mozzie Wipeout, removing stagnant water and not littering.

https://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/pressRoom/pressRoomItemRelease/2016/joint-moh-nea-statement--3-sep-.html