Zika Jiangmen Guangdong ex-Venezuela Cluster Grows To Three

[niman]

The 40-year-old man from Jiangmen City in south China’s Guangdong Province returned from Venezuela with his family on February 25.

His two children tested positive for the virus on February 27, according to the Guangdong Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission. He reported the appearance of a rash on Monday, which doctors confirmed was caused by the virus, and he is now in stable condition in hospital.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/national/10th-Zika-virus-case-confirmed/shdaily.shtml

 

[niman]

10th Zika virus case confirmed

Source: Xinhua | March 3, 2016, Thursday |  PRINT EDITION

THE father of two Zika patients has also been infected with the virus, making him the country’s 10th confirmed case, say health authorities.

The 40-year-old man from Jiangmen City in south China’s Guangdong Province returned from Venezuela with his family on February 25.

His two children tested positive for the virus on February 27, according to the Guangdong Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission. He reported the appearance of a rash on Monday, which doctors confirmed was caused by the virus, and he is now in stable condition in hospital.

The World Health Organization declared a global emergency in early February, after a Zika outbreak in Central and South America.

Symptoms of the mosquito-borne virus include fever, joint pain, rash, conjunctivitis, headache and muscle pain. It is also a suspected cause of microcephaly in new-born babies.

[niman]

1 March 2016

CHP notified of additional imported case of Zika Virus Infection in Mainland

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) tonight (March 1) received notification of an additional imported case of Zika Virus Infection in the Mainland from the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, and again urged the public, particularly pregnant women, those planning pregnancy and immunocompromised patients, to adopt strict anti-mosquito measures during travel.      The male patient aged 40 from Jiangmen, Guangdong, works in Venezuela. He is the father of the two patients reported on February 27 affecting a girl aged eight and a boy aged six. He returned to the Mainland on February 25 and developed skin rash yesterday (February 29). He is now hospitalised for isolation and management in stable condition. He did not pass through Hong Kong.      To date, ten imported cases of Zika Virus Infection have been notified in the Mainland.      "Routine health surveillance on the body temperature of inbound travellers at all boundary control points is ongoing. Suspected cases will be referred to healthcare facilities for follow-up. However, at present, around 70 to 80 per cent of infected people are asymptomatic and most can recover fully. Therefore, we again urge those arriving from Zika-affected areas to apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival to reduce the risk of transmission," the spokesman for the DH said.      The DH has been closely working with the travel industry and stakeholders, especially agents operating tours in Zika-affected areas and personnel receiving travellers in those areas (particularly pregnant women), to regularly update them on the latest disease information and health advice.      As long as there is international travel, there is always a risk of introduction of Zika virus to Hong Kong. As asymptomatic infection is very common and the potential vector, Aedes albopictus, is present locally, there is also risk of local spread in case Zika is introduced to Hong Kong.      The public should pay special attention to the countries and areas with reported autochthonous Zika virus transmission or locally acquired infection and those with indication of viral circulation earlier announced by the World Health Organization (WHO).      The DH has been maintaining close liaison with the WHO as well as overseas, neighbouring and Mainland health authorities to closely monitor the latest developments of Zika.      Locally, no human Zika cases have been reported to the CHP to date.      To prevent Zika Virus Infection, in addition to general anti-mosquito measures, the DH drew the public's attention to the special notes below: A. Travelling abroad * If going to areas with ongoing Zika transmission (affected areas), travellers, especially those with immune disorders or severe chronic illnesses, should arrange consultation with a doctor at least six weeks before the trip, and take extra preventive measures to avoid mosquito bites; * Those arriving from affected areas should apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival. If feeling unwell, e.g. having fever, they should seek medical advice as soon as possible, and provide travel details to a doctor; B. Pregnant women and those preparing for pregnancy * Pregnant women and those preparing for pregnancy should consider deferring their trip to affected areas. Those who must travel should seek medical advice from their doctor before the trip, adopt contraception if appropriate, strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip, and consult and reveal their travel history to their doctor if symptoms develop after the trip. Women preparing for pregnancy are advised to continue to adopt contraception for 28 days after returning from these areas; and C. Special notes for prevention of sexual transmission regarding potential adverse pregnancy outcomes * Pregnant women should not have sex with male partners who have travelled to areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission, or else condoms should be used throughout the pregnancy; * Any male traveller returning from affected areas should: (i) abstain from sex with his pregnant partner, or else use condoms throughout the pregnancy; and (ii) use a condom for at least six months if his female partner may get pregnant.      The public may visit the pages below for more disease information and health advice: * The CHP's Zika page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/43086.html); * The Zika page of the DH's Travel Health Service (www.travelhealth.gov.hk/english/popup/popup_zika.html); * The Outbound Travel Alert page of the Security Bureau (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/ota); and * Anti-mosquito precautions for women (www.fhs.gov.hk/english/health_info/woman/30014.html). Ends/Tuesday, March 1, 2016 http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/content/116/43676.html