Two cases of locally transmitted Zika virus confirmed at Poh Huat Terrace/Terrasse Lane, Singapore News & Top Stories stat : Straits Times

SINGAPORE - There have been two new cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infections at the Poh Huat Terrace/Terrasse Lane area, off Yio Chu Kang Road, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Tuesday (April 11). It added that most infected people do not develop symptoms, heightening the risk of a "resurgence as it may take some time before a reintroduced Zika virus is detected". NEA has started vector control operations and outreach efforts at the cluster, it added, and the community is urged to take immediate action. NEA is also continuing with vector control operations in the nearby Flower Road/Hendry Close cluster in Kovan, which was confirmed last week. Members of the public are advised to seek medical attention if they are unwell, especially with symptoms such as fever and rash.




One such danger is the Zika virus, and while it may not be on many people's minds just yet, it will be again, when temperatures climb. The weather is still cold in much of the United States, so many Americans have forgotten about the dangers that can accompany warm weather. In the United States more than 5,000 cases were reported between Jan. 1, 2015, and March 1, 2017. This means the offspring will never reach the stage in which they can carry and pass on the virus. One company on the front lines in the Zika war is Oxitec, a biotech company in the U.K.


The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) recently called for continued resources to support a long-term public health response against Zika virus. ZIka virus is most commonly spread through the bite of Aedes aegypti species mosquito, but can be spread through sexual contact as well. The group also requested sustained investments in public health funding to give state, local, tribal and territorial health departments the resources needed to pursue a broad range of response strategies. "Public health has a long history of combatting and eradicating mosquito-borne diseases, but ensuring robust epidemiological and laboratory infrastructure across the governmental public health system is critical to stay ahead of the spread of Zika virus," ASTHO President-Elect Brenda Fitzgerald said. The group's request includes increased laboratory, epidemiological, and surveillance capacity, along with enhanced vector controls and public education campaigns.


collected by :Sandra Alex
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