Fatal Local Zika Case In Malaysia

[niman]

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.

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

[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