The Health Ministry on Tuesday (Sept 13) reported two more cases of locally transmitted Zika infections in the central Philippine city of Iloilo, 600km south of the capital Manila.

Health Minister Paulyn Ubial said the mosquito-borne virus was found in two people living in the same house as the 45-year-old woman who tested positive for Zika on Sept 5. The woman, who is married but not pregnant, was the first confirmed case of locally transmitted Zika in the Philippines this year.

The Philippines have reported four other cases since January, but these involved an American and three Korean travellers. The cases were considered travel-related rather than locally transmitted.

The two new cases in Iloilo bring to eight the total number of Zika infections reported in the country since 2012.

A confirmed case of locally transmitted Zika in the Philippines was reported in May 2012, involving a 15-year-old male in Cebu city, 572km south of Manila.

All three patients in Iloilo have since recovered, but they remain under home quarantine, Dr Ubial said.

The ministry had sent a team to Iloilo to check for more Zika cases there.

Dr Ubial said 88 houses were inspected, and 12 people who had skin rashes and fever were tested for the virus.

The United States-based Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said earlier in a bulletin that a strain of the mosquito-borne virus might have been introduced in the Philippines before 2012, and that it probably remained undetected.

Zika resembles a mild case of flu and its symptoms can be treated with over-the-counter medication.

Patients infected with Zika seldom go to clinics, and doctors often associate symptoms with other illnesses, usually dengue or chikungunya.

CDC bulletins showed Zika infections in the Philippines and Indonesia were detected only after targeted surveillance following outbreaks of dengue or chikungunya, or during long-term studies over specific areas. </s> Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Department of Health (DOH) said six more cases of Zika were reported this month. This brings the total number of Zika cases in the country to nine--with the virus spreading across three provinces.

Seven patients are from Iloilo City, one from Cebu City, and one from Laguna province. The ages of the patients range from 9 to 49 years old.

Health Spokesperson Eric Tayag said all these patients are expected to recover soon.

Early this month, the DOH reported the first locally transmitted Zika infection for the year-- a 45 year old woman from Iloilo. Two more cases were later reported, both from the same household as the index case. Tayag said the additional four cases in Iloilo live 10 kilometers away from the previously reported cases.

The DOH expects more infections to be recorded in the coming days.

Also read: DOH investigating origin of Zika virus in the Philippines

Tayag explained that the aedes aegypti mosquito - the carrier of Zika virus - is found throughout the country. Tayag however clarified, there is no active transmission of the Zika virus in the country--an "active transmission" means infection is widespread and the mode of transmission is unclear.

All reported cases of Zika so far were infected through mosquito bites. The virus can also be transmitted sexually.

"Halimbawa may kaso dito, 'di ba 'yung unang tatlo, the same household yun. Hindi masabing active transmission. Parehong household eh. Ngayon, more than 10 kilometers, merong kaso, pero alam naming kagat din ng lamok yun. Eh isa isa. So hindi rin masabing active, kasi isa lang eh," Tayag explained.

[Translation: For example, the case of the first three patients came from the same household. We can't say it's active transmission as it's the same household. Now, there are cases more than 10 kilometers away but we know it's from mosquito bites. We can't say it's active because these are isolated cases.]

Tayag said a national Zika action plan is in the works where the DOH is intensifying the capability of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for testing.

The DOH released ₱48M to buy 8,000 Zika testing kits. Only those who show Zika symptoms -- rashes, red eyes, joint pains and fever-- will be tested for the virus.

Related: DOH rolls out measures against Zika virus

Tayag said pregnant women should consult with their doctors to ensure a safe pregnancy. The Zika virus is linked with birth defects which includes microcephaly--which shrinks the unborn's head and brain, leading to developmental disorders.

"Ang mga buntis na gusto magpa-test-- sa prenatal visit ninyo magtanong kayo sa doctor kung kailangan ba ninyong magpa-test. Otherwise, use safe insect repellents at sa gayon mabawasan ang paglagay sa panganib," advised Tayag.

[Translation: Pregnant women who want to get tested should ask their doctors during their prenatal visit if they really need to get tested. Otherwise, use safe insect repellents in order to reduce the risk of getting infected.]

Watch: Preventing Zika virus spread

WHO: Zika in PH not a surprise

The World Health Organization (WHO) meanwhile assured the DOH of its full support in preventing the spread of the Zika virus.

WHO Country Representative Dr. Gundo Weiler said there are now 19 out of 37 countries in the Western Pacific Region found with Zika virus. Weiler said it was only a matter of time before cases were found in the Philippines.

"The fact that we see Zika in the Philippines and we detect more is not a surprise. We know there is a competent vector in the country, we know there is a lot of travel. We were assuming there is a likelihood Zika will appear in the country and spread to a certain extent," said Weiler.

Weiler commended the proactive testing of the DOH against Zika. He said the increase in the number of cases reflects the efforts of the DOH to crackdown on the virus. He said this is a welcome development at a time when countries are on alert against the spread of Zika.

"We will see more Zika being picked up so that, per se, is a development which is welcome because we will understand better in the future the circulation of the Zika in the country is," Weiler said.

Watch: Zika virus 101 </s> MANILA: The Philippines on Monday reported its first known case of a pregnant woman infected with the Zika virus that threatens unborn babies, as authorities warned people to avoid mosquitos.

Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said 12 cases of Zika had been detected across the Philippines this month, including a 22-year-old woman from the central island of Cebu who is 19 weeks’ pregnant with her first child.

“Initial ultrasound did not detect any foetal abnormalities. She will be monitored regularly during the entire period of the pregnancy,” the health department said.

Zika-infected pregnant women can give birth to babies with microcephaly, a deformation marked by abnormally small brains and heads.

Of the country’s 12 Zika cases, eight were female and ranged in age from 9 to 55, the department said.

None of those infected had travelled a month before testing positive and all had since recovered, it said.

Special teams have been dispatched to all the affected areas to investigate where the infection came from and recommend measures to deal with the virus, which can be spread by the bite of a mosquito or via sexual contact.

Ubial called on the public to destroy mosquito breeding places, use insect repellent and wear condoms during sex.

Scientists warned this month that the world should prepare for a “global epidemic” of microcephaly due to Zika as there is no cure or vaccine for the disease. — AFP </s> THE Department of Health (DOH) recently added three new Zika cases to the list of confirmed cases in the country for 2016, including a pregnant woman in Cebu City.

There are now a total of 12 cases. All were reported in September after tests conducted at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).



“Of these 12 cases, eight were females while age ranged from nine years to 55 years. Ten of these cases were from Region VI (Western Visayas) and one each from Region VII (Central Visayas) and NCR. The previously reported case from Laguna (Calabrazon) was traced to Muntinlupa upon verification. Among cases from Region VI, 9 were from Iloilo City and 1 from Oton, just a few kilometers outside Iloilo City,” Health Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial explained.



These cases did not have history of travel to an affected country a month prior to the onset of their illness. All of these confirmed cases presented with skin rashes with any one of the following: fever, muscle or joint pains, conjunctivitis without eye discharge. All have recovered from their mild illness.



The health chief added the 22-year-old confirmed case from Cebu is also 19 weeks pregnant with her first child. Initial ultrasound did not detect any fetal abnormalities. She will be monitored regularly during the entire period of the pregnancy.



DOH quick response teams were sent to affected areas to conduct case investigations and to recommend specific measures to prevent further spread. Iloilo city is carrying out indoor residual spraying coupled with fogging in affected and high risk areas to reduce adult mosquito density. This were done only after search and destroy were done in the same areas in order to eliminate mosquito breeding sites. All cases were advised to avoid mosquito bites by applying insect repellent over exposed areas at least a week after onset of their illness.



Zika virus disease is primarily transmitted via mosquito bites. The aedes aegypti is responsible for spreading Zika virus and also dengue and chikungunya viruses. In Brazil and other countries, pregnant women who got infected at anytime during their pregnancy have increased risk of giving birth to babies with congenital defects affecting the brain (microcephaly). Sexual transmission was also reported as another means of getting the zika virus.



DOH reiterates its appeal to local government units to find ways and be very vigorous so that households are able to search and destroy mosquito breeding sites, commonly seen inside and around homes. Pregnant women may use insect repellent or mosquito nets at daytime to avoid mosquito bites and potential Zika infection. Any individual who presents with skin rash and any other symptom should visit the nearest facility to rule out zika infections.



Zika can be mistaken for measles, dengue or chikungunya. A laboratory test is needed to confirm them. Pregnant women should follow advice of their doctors with regards to risks associated with zika and on ways to prevent zika infection.



The 4S means (1) Search and destroy mosquito breeding places, (2) Self-protection measures like using insect repellent and mosquito bed nets especially at day time, as well as the use of condom for protection against this sexually transmitted infection, (3) Seek early consultation for skin rashes and fever, joint pain or red eyes, and (4) Say Yes to fogging when there is an impending outbreak. Ugaliin nating gawin ang 4S sa ating komunidad para maprotektahan ang ating pamilya at mahal sa buhay,” Ubial concluded. </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> Zika virus: Philippines confirms first case this year as Indonesia rules out thorough testing

Posted

The Philippines has confirmed its first case of the Zika virus this year and says it is "highly likely" it has been locally transmitted, and it expects more cases after stepping up surveillance.

Key points: Woman who tested positive in the Philippines is not pregnant

Singapore to no longer isolate people who have virus

Indonesia says it cannot afford thorough testing for virus

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, Dr 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 August 27 and neighbouring Malaysia has reported one such case.

Singapore's said on Monday it would no longer isolate people who test positive for Zika or are suspected of carrying it.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said the presence of 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," it 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.

Zika testing too costly for Indonesia

Meanwhile, an Indonesian Health Ministry official said his country could not afford to thoroughly check for a possible Zika outbreak.

The World Health Organisation lists Indonesia among Asian countries with possible endemic transmission of, or evidence of, local Zika infections, but authorities in the sprawling nation of 250 million people have yet to report any recent infections.

"At the moment we cannot go out there and test everybody or every suspected case for Zika because it is too costly," Muhamad Subuh, director general for disease prevention and control at Indonesia's Health Ministry, said.

"There are other priorities like dengue fever, which is more prevalent and more dangerous, and we have to allocate our resources accordingly."

Like many of its neighbours, Indonesia records thousands of dengue infections a year.

Indonesia is South-East Asia's biggest economy but the World Bank estimates the government spends 5.7 per cent of its gross domestic product on public health, which works out to $US99 ($131) per person per year, compared with $606 in Malaysia, the region's third largest economy.

Mr Subuh said the Ministry was actively monitoring for Zika, but experts said authorities would struggle to identify patients as few hospitals offer Zika testing, and those that did expected patients to pay more than $198 for a test, putting it out of reach of many ordinary Indonesians.

Reuters

Topics: diseases-and-disorders, health, philippines, singapore, indonesia, asia </s> Red Cross mobilizes chapters to help in Zika virus drive

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) mobilized its chapters nationwide to help in the information campaign on how to prevent and deal with the Zika virus in the country.

PRC Chairperson Richard Gordon tasked the PRC chapters to post in social media sites information about the Zika virus, especially in Central Visayas where recently confirmed cases were recorded.

“As the World Health Organization (WHO) considered Zika as a global health threat, I immediately advised all our staff and Red Cross 143 volunteers nationwide to lead the campaign to prevent the spread of the virus by closely monitoring affected area and providing all necessary information and preventive measures to the public,” PRC Chairman Richard J. Gordon said in a statement.

The Department of Health (DOH) said six people have already been tested positive for Zika virus – four of them from IloIlo and one from Cebu city and another one in Laguna.

There are already nine Zika virus cases in the Philippines this year. </s> HEALTH authorities on Monday announced that a woman from Iloilo had tested positive for the mosquito-borne Zika virus that causes microcephaly in newborns, the first such case recorded this year.

This brought to six the total number of cases registered in the country since 2012, Department of Health (DOH) Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag told reporters in a news conference.

Tayag described the first Zika case for the year as a 45-year-old female, married and not pregnant, from Iloilo province.

The virus most likely came from local transmission because the woman had no history of travel to any affected country in the past two weeks, Tayag said.

Tayag said the woman reported to doctors on August 31, and was found to have skin rashes and joint pains, but without fever.

She was confined in a local hospital where urine and blood samples were collected. The 45-year-old tested positive for Zika in both urine and blood samples.

The tests were done at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine In Muntinlupa.

The woman is at home recovering from a mild illness.

Tayag said the DOH had sent a team to do follow-up tests in the area where the woman is residing.

Dr. Gundo Weiler, World Health Organization country representative, lauded the Philippines for its ability to control the virus, noting that out of 37 Western Pacific countries, the Philippines has reported only six cases since 2012.

Zika is primarily transmitted through the bite of the Aedes mosquito. Sexual transmission has been reported in other countries like Brazil and Singapore.

The Zika virus results in mild illness but has caused neurologic defects (microcephaly) in babies born of infected mothers.

The DOH has coordinated with the local officials to intensify mosquito control efforts including targeted fogging.

Tayag reminded everyone to be “good citizens” by avoiding mosquito bites and cleaning up mosquito-breeding areas.

Tayag said people, especially pregnant women, with skin rashes and with symptoms like fever, red eyes and joint pains should consult any government health facility immediately.

“The key to Zika prevention is heightened vigilance and stronger community efforts of every household,” Tayag said. </s> BANGKOK, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Thailand has recorded about 200 cases of Zika since January, the health ministry said on Tuesday, making it a country with one of the highest numbers of confirmed cases in the region.

It was the first time Thailand's health ministry has confirmed the number of Zika cases this year.

The announcement comes a day after health experts called on Thailand to be more transparent in reporting the Zika threat to the public after health officials played down risks from rising infections of the mosquito-borne virus.

Health officials have expressed concern that disclosing information on Zika, which is linked to serious birth defects, would damage Thailand's lucrative tourism industry.

"Since January, we have recorded about 200 cases and over the past three weeks, we have confirmed an average of 20 new cases per week," Ministry of Public Health spokesman Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai told Reuters.

"The number of cases is stable," he said, without giving further details.

Island city-state Singapore reported its first locally infected Zika patient on Aug. 27 and since then, the number of reported infections has soared to more than 300.

Malaysia and the Philippines have also reported cases.

The virus, which is affecting large parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, has been circulating in Asia for years.

The lineage of the virus circulating in Asia is different to the one in the Americas, researchers say. The level of population immunity to the lineage of Zika in Asia remains unknown, according to the World Health Organization.

Suwannachai urged the public not to panic and reiterated a message aimed at reassuring tourists.

"People shouldn't be scared to visit provinces affected by the Zika virus," Suwannachai said.

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 year in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly.

Thailand has found no cases of microcephaly linked to Zika and it is monitoring about two dozen pregnant woman and about six who have given birth with no complications, the health ministry said.

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

The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947.
The Department of Health of the Philippines discover an additional two cases of Zika virus infections bringing the total to eight.