Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy.</s>A 45-year old woman who lives in Iloilo city in the central Philippines has the virus, Dr Eric Tayag, spokesman at the health ministry, told a media briefing.

The woman is not pregnant, he said, and was recovering at her home. It was considered "highly likely" she had contracted the virus locally as she had no history of travel to any affected country in the past two weeks, Tayag said.

The Philippines reported its first case of Zika in 2012, that of a teenaged boy in Cebu island in the central Philippines. Four subsequent cases were foreigners.

A Zika outbreak is affecting large parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, with Brazil the hardest hit, but cases have been cropping up in Asia.

Singapore has reported more than 240 Zika cases since the first locally infected case was detected on Aug. 27 and neighboring Malaysia has reported one such case.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall 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.</s>Twenty new patients in four provinces in Thailand have contracted the mosquito-borne Zika virus, but the situation remains under control, according to the public health ministry.

The new patients have prompted health authorities to keep Chiang Mai, Phetchabun, Bung Kan and Chanthaburi—where new confirmed cases were reported to the ministry over the past week—under close watch, said permanent secretary for public health Sopon Mekthon on Monday.

On average, four or five patients were found in each of the four provinces.

He said health officials were aware of the situation although people should not be too concerned about the number of new cases.

“I don’t want the cases to spark panic because they are sparse,” he added.

More patients have been found due to better procedures to identify and screen those infected with Zika, according to Dr. Sopon.

In the case of Zika, patients usually suffer mild effects and will recover within one week, he said.

However, pregnant women who develop Zika have a chance of giving birth to babies with microcephaly and other brain defects.

In Chiang Mai’s San Sai district, two infected women, who are six and eight months pregnant, are being closely monitored by medical staff, Chiang Mai public health official Phaisan Thanyawinitchakun said.

Health officials are monitoring some 30 pregnant women living in high-risk Zika areas but who are not infected. Six of them have already delivered strong and healthy babies, Dr. Sopon said.

Many Zika-control measures are being carried out in San Sai district, where several Zika patients have been found.

Provincial officials have implemented steps to eradicate mosquitoes within a designated radius of the homes of Zika-infected patients and will follow up on the health of people who came in contact with the patients for at least 14 days.

Health authorities in Malaysia and Singapore have also reported Zika patients with confirmed cases in Singapore already reaching 242.</s>Twenty new patients in four provinces in Thailand have contracted the mosquito-borne Zika virus, but the situation remains under control, according to the public health ministry.

The new patients have prompted health authorities to keep Chiang Mai, Phetchabun, Bung Kan and Chanthaburi—where new confirmed cases were reported to the ministry over the past week—under close watch, said permanent secretary for public health Sopon Mekthon on Monday.

On average, four or five patients were found in each of the four provinces.

He said health officials were aware of the situation although people should not be too concerned about the number of new cases.

“I don’t want the cases to spark panic because they are sparse,” he added.

More patients have been found due to better procedures to identify and screen those infected with Zika, according to Dr. Sopon.

In the case of Zika, patients usually suffer mild effects and will recover within one week, he said.

However, pregnant women who develop Zika have a chance of giving birth to babies with microcephaly and other brain defects.

In Chiang Mai’s San Sai district, two infected women, who are six and eight months pregnant, are being closely monitored by medical staff, Chiang Mai public health official Phaisan Thanyawinitchakun said.

Health officials are monitoring some 30 pregnant women living in high-risk Zika areas but who are not infected. Six of them have already delivered strong and healthy babies, Dr. Sopon said.

Many Zika-control measures are being carried out in San Sai district, where several Zika patients have been found.

Provincial officials have implemented steps to eradicate mosquitoes within a designated radius of the homes of Zika-infected patients and will follow up on the health of people who came in contact with the patients for at least 14 days.

Health authorities in Malaysia and Singapore have also reported Zika patients with confirmed cases in Singapore already reaching 242.</s>Singapore says will no longer isolate Zika patients

SINGAPORE, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Singapore will no longer isolate people who test positive for Zika or are suspected of carrying it as the number of cases of the mosquito-borne virus increases across the city-state, the health ministry said on Monday.

Tropical Singapore, a global financial and transit hub, has reported just over 240 Zika cases since the first locally infected case was detected on Aug. 27, and media has quoted the deputy health minister as saying the virus was "here to stay".

In a statement, the health ministry said the presence of the Aedes mosquitoes that carry the virus, as well as the fact that most people do not display symptoms, meant isolating patients already infected would have limited effect.

"Over time, we expect Zika cases to emerge in more areas given the presence of the Aedes mosquitoes here," the ministry said.

"As the cases of Zika in Singapore have been mild so far, confirmed cases will no longer need to be hospitalised unless medically indicated."

The government will also pay for the cost of Zika tests for Singaporeans with symptoms of the virus, the ministry added.

Most people who are infected with Zika have mild symptoms but infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall 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.

Neighbouring Malaysia has reported at least one case of locally transmitted Zika.

Experts and officials say both countries will struggle to contain the virus because of the spread of the Aedes mosquitoes, which also carry dengue, a potentially fatal virus that Singapore and Malaysia have been battling for years.</s>People asked to stay vigilant and not ignore dengue or chikungunya-like symptoms with red eyes.

With the city already battling a dengue, chikungunya and viral fever outbreak, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has issued a Zika alert in the country.

The IMA, which is the largest association of allopathic doctors, has asked physicians and the people to be aware and vigilant.

“Do not ignore dengue or chikungunya-like symptoms with red eyes,” the IMA has said.

The association also said that local mosquito transmission of Zika virus infection has been reported in Singapore. Local mosquito transmission implies that mosquitoes in the area are infected with the Zika virus and are spreading it to humans.

“Because the Zika virus is primarily spread through mosquitoes, the IMA recommends that travellers to Singapore protect themselves from mosquito bites. In fact, a pregnant woman can pass the Zika virus to her foetus and an infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects,” said Dr. S. S. Agarwal, national president of the IMA.

“Pregnant women should not travel to Singapore. In case it is necessary to do so, talk to your doctor and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites. If you have a partner who lives in or has travelled to Singapore, either use condoms or abstain from sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) during pregnancy. For couples trying to get pregnant, it is important to talk to your doctor about your plans and the risk of Zika virus infection. Since the virus can be sexually transmitted, travellers are encouraged to use condoms or not have sex,” says Dr. K. K. Aggarwal of the IMA.

The association also noted that many people infected with the Zika virus may not feel sick. Among those who do develop symptoms, sickness is usually mild and lasts about a week. If a mosquito bites an infected human while the virus is still in that person’s blood, it can spread the virus when it bites another person.

Even if they do not feel sick, travellers returning to the United States from Singapore should take measures to prevent mosquito bites for three weeks so that they do not spread the infection.

The IMA has also asked people to be aware about the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare disorder that can cause muscle weakness and paralysis for a few weeks to several months.

Though the syndrome is strongly associated with Zika, only a small proportion of people with the infection get GBS. Also, most people recover fully.</s>Both Zika, which is of particular risk to pregnant women, and the dengue virus are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is common in tropical Malaysia, Southeast Asia's third largest economy, and across the region.

Neighboring Singapore has reported more than 200 cases of Zika.

Three days ago, Malaysia reported its first Zika infection - a woman living near Kuala Lumpur who contracted the virus during a visit to Singapore.

On Saturday, Malaysian authorities said they had detected the first local infection: a 61-year-old man in the city of Kota Kinabalu, in the Malaysian part of Borneo island.

"The confirmation of the second case of Zika in Kota Kinabalu suggests that the virus is already present within our communities," Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said.

"Zika is present in our country. New cases will continue to emerge," he posted on his Facebook page.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall 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.

Since reporting its first Zika infection, Malaysia has increased insecticide spraying to kill mosquitoes. It has also stepped up health checks at its main border with Singapore, through which 200,000 people pass daily.

Malaysia, with a population of almost 30 million and a size 46 times bigger than Singapore, faces a much more challenging fight against Zika, doctors say.

"Zika will spread even faster in Malaysia than Singapore because our Aedes volume is so much higher and the breeding grounds are enormous," said Amar Singh, head of the paediatric department at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun in the Malaysian town of Ipoh.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks Malaysia's healthcare system as the world's 49th most developed. Singapore figures in the top 10.

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 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.

The WHO has declared the Zika outbreak an international health emergency, and if Malaysia's fight against dengue is any indication, it will struggle with Zika.

Malaysia recorded a total of 120,836 dengue cases last year, including 336 fatalities - the most since 1995, according to government data. This year, there have been 75,000 dengue cases and 166 fatalities.

Malaysian authorities say dengue is a bigger problem than Zika.

But regional health experts believe Zika is significantly under-reported in Southeast Asia as authorities fail to conduct adequate screening and also because of its usually mild symptoms.

The WHO lists Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam as countries with "possible endemic transmission or evidence of local mosquito-borne Zika infections in 2016".

The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 and was unknown in the Americas until 2014.</s>Nico Rosberg has asked Mercedes for medical advice ahead of the next grand prix in Singapore, where the risk of catching the Zika virus is rated ‘very high’ by the Foreign Office.

The Mercedes man, who won in Italy on Sunday to narrow the gap behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton to two points, is concerned because he and his wife Vivian have recently started a family.

The mosquito-borne virus causes birth defects, notably microcephaly, where babies are born with abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains. Pregnant women have been warned not to travel to Zika-affected countries.

The disease can also be passed on by sexual intercourse, and Greg Rutherford, the Olympic bronze medal long jumper, froze his sperm before travelling to Rio last month.

Rosberg, who has a one-year-old daughter, Alaia, said: ‘As a family man now, I am very interested and am looking into it. I have started discussions about it already, actually.’

Five of the remaining seven race destinations have recorded instances of Zika. Singapore, Mexico and Brazil are all categorised as ‘high risk’, while Texas and Malaysia have also reported cases.

The number of incidents in Singapore has gone from zero to 242 in the last week, with mosquitoes thriving in the humid air.

While there is no sign yet of a mass boycott of the Singapore race on Sunday week, the FIA’s doctors have drawn up extensive medical advice to guard against infection.

The teams have also issued their staff with guidelines. Eric Boullier, McLaren’s racing director, said: ‘We are supplying anti-mosquito products and long-sleeved outfits, and we have sent a briefing to everybody about how to take care and all the why, what and how about it. But everyone is going.’

Zika apart, Rosberg is putting talk of the drivers’ title to the back of his mind, despite successive victories in Spa and Monza.

From being 19 points adrift, he is right on Hamilton’s tail at the end of the European season.

‘I am not thinking about the championship,’ said Rosberg. ‘It’s my best approach, so why would I change it? If I thought about my 43-point lead earlier in the season going to 19 behind I would lose sleep, so I am just enjoying winning races.’

Mercedes, the supreme team of the past three years, were surprisingly off the pace in Singapore last season.

‘We cannot go there with too much confidence because we were miles off last time — 1.8 seconds — and that is huge, so it is our most difficult race,’ added Rosberg, who finished fourth 12 months ago. ‘We think we have made progress but 1.8sec is not going to be easy to improve.’</s>Two more Indians have been infected with the Zika virus in Singapore, taking the total number of Indian nationals tested positive for the mosquito-borne disease in the city-state to 15, health officials said today.

As Singapore grapples with rising number of the mosquito-borne disease, Indian High Commission here said they are in regular contact with Singapore Health Ministry which has confirmed 26 new cases of locally transmitted Zika virus as of yesterday noon, bringing the total cases to 215.

Authorities are continuing with their efforts to bring the population of Aedes mosquitoes under control in affected areas.

With the two new cases, total number of Indians infected with Zika virus reached 15 in Singapore, officials said.

Community outreach activities are being conducted across the country over these two weekends to ask the people to join in the collective efforts in the fight against the mosquito-borne virus, a joint statement from ministry and the National Environment Agency said.

The ministry is reviewing the practice of isolating potential Zika-infected patients, Senior Minister of State for Environment and Water Resources and Health, Amy Khor said.

Currently, those who are suspected of having infected with Zika are isolated at the Communicable Disease Centre as they await their test results. Those found to be Zika-positive are isolated in hospitals.

The Ministry is considering letting suspected Zika-infected patients rest at home while their blood and urine samples are tested, and sending confirmed cases home to recuperate, said Khor.

“We are reviewing the practice of isolating Zika-positive patients who are actually clinically well and do not need to be hospitalised. They could be sent home to recuperate but take necessary precautions like applying repellent so they don’t get bitten,” The Straits Times quoted Khor as saying.

Doctors have observed that Zika-positive patients admitted to hospitals are generally well and have very mild symptoms, and are discharged within one to two days after testing negative for the virus. Besides, four in five Zika-infected persons do not show any symptoms of the virus, Khor said.

Another factor for reviewing the practice of isolating patients is that “there are people in the community who are infected but do not know they are”, so isolating the infected ones may not be effective, she added.

In February, the World Health Organisation had declared Zika a public health emergency after women affected by it had given birth to children with microcephaly, a birth defect with small head size.</s>Malaysia expects more Zika cases as virus spreads in Southeast Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Malaysia is bracing for more Zika cases, officials said on Sunday, after detecting the first locally infected patient, which could further stretch a health system struggling with dengue, another mosquito-borne virus that can be fatal.

Both Zika, which is of particular risk to pregnant women, and the dengue virus are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is common in tropical Malaysia, Southeast Asia's third largest economy, and across the region.

Neighbouring Singapore has reported more than 200 cases of Zika.

Three days ago, Malaysia reported its first Zika infection - a woman living near Kuala Lumpur who contracted the virus during a visit to Singapore.

On Saturday, Malaysian authorities said they had detected the first local infection: a 61-year-old man in the city of Kota Kinabalu, in the Malaysian part of Borneo island.

"The confirmation of the second case of Zika in Kota Kinabalu suggests that the virus is already present within our communities," Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said.

"Zika is present in our country. New cases will continue to emerge," he posted on his Facebook page.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall 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.

Since reporting its first Zika infection, Malaysia has increased insecticide spraying to kill mosquitoes. It has also stepped up health checks at its main border with Singapore, through which 200,000 people pass daily.

Malaysia, with a population of almost 30 million and a size 46 times bigger than Singapore, faces a much more challenging fight against Zika, doctors say.

"Zika will spread even faster in Malaysia than Singapore because our Aedes volume is so much higher and the breeding grounds are enormous," said Amar Singh, head of the paediatric department at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun in the Malaysian town of Ipoh.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks Malaysia's healthcare system as the world's 49th most developed. Singapore figures in the top 10.

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 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.

The WHO has declared the Zika outbreak an international health emergency, and if Malaysia's fight against dengue is any indication, it will struggle with Zika.

Malaysia recorded a total of 120,836 dengue cases last year, including 336 fatalities - the most since 1995, according to government data. This year, there have been 75,000 dengue cases and 166 fatalities.

Malaysian authorities say dengue is a bigger problem than Zika.

But regional health experts believe Zika is significantly under-reported in Southeast Asia as authorities fail to conduct adequate screening and also because of its usually mild symptoms.

The WHO lists Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam as countries with "possible endemic transmission or evidence of local mosquito-borne Zika infections in 2016".

The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 and was unknown in the Americas until 2014. (Additional reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Miral Fahmy, Robert Birsel)
The Zika virus outbreak in Singapore which has infected over 200 people likely evolved from Southeast Asia.