Malaysia on Wednesday confirmed its first case of the Zika virus in a pregnant woman, a 27-year-old living in a southern city next to the city-state of Singapore.

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

 Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said the woman, who is three- to four-months pregnant, lives in the southern city of Johor Bahru, next to Singapore which has reported a total of 275 cases so far.

 Her husband, who works in Singapore, had also showed symptoms of Zika and was undergoing tests.

 ‘It’s still unclear whether the woman contracted the disease from her husband or whether it was locally transmitted,’ Subramaniam told a press conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia’s administrative capital.

 Last week, Malaysia confirmed the first imported case of Zika in a 58-year-old woman who had visited Singapore. On Saturday, it confirmed the first case of a locally transmitted Zika infection.

 Subramaniam said Malaysia was expecting to see more cases in Johor Bahru because of its closeness to Singapore. About 200,000 Malaysians commute daily from Johor to the city-state.

 Although microcephaly is typically detected during ultrasounds in the late second and early third trimester of pregnancy, these findings can be detected as early as 18-20 weeks gestation, according to the US centers for disease control and prevention. </s> Malaysia confirms first case of Zika, launches measures to contain spread of virus

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Malaysia confirmed on Thursday its first case of Zika after a woman tested positive for the virus following a three-day visit to neighbouring Singapore on August 19.

The 58-year-old woman had showed signs of a rash and fever one week after returning from Singapore, according to Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam.

"We are carrying out control measures against aedes mosquitoes near the woman's home to prevent the spread of the virus," he said at a news conference on Thursday, adding that the virus was discovered in the woman's urine sample.

Subramaniam initially said the woman's "child" had also tested positive for Zika in Singapore. He later clarified that the child was in fact an adult daughter who is working in Singapore and has not returned to Malaysia.

Subramaniam said they have already intensified vector control activities in Taman Botani in Klang, where the infected woman's home is located, and urged residents to allow officers despatched to the area to enter their homes and carry out fogging and larvicidal spraying.

Singapore announced the first locally contracted case of Zika late on Saturday, and the number of diagnosed infections has grown steadily this week.

A pregnant woman was among those diagnosed with Zika infections in Singapore, as the number of confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne virus in the city-state rose to 115.

Subramaniam said on Thursday that a total of five Malaysians have so far been identified as having tested positive for Zika in Singapore.

U.S. health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies.

The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. </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> The 58-year-old woman had showed signs of a rash and fever one week after returning from Singapore, according to Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam.

"We are carrying out control measures against aedes mosquitoes near the woman's home to prevent the spread of the virus," he said at a news conference on Thursday, adding that the virus was discovered in the woman's urine sample.

Subramaniam initially said the woman's "child" had also tested positive for Zika in Singapore. He later clarified that the child was in fact an adult daughter who is working in Singapore and has not returned to Malaysia.

Subramaniam said they have already intensified vector control activities in Taman Botani in Klang, where the infected woman's home is located, and urged residents to allow officers despatched to the area to enter their homes and carry out fogging and larvicidal spraying.

Singapore announced the first locally contracted case of Zika late on Saturday, and the number of diagnosed infections has grown steadily this week.

A pregnant woman was among those diagnosed with Zika infections in Singapore, as the number of confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne virus in the city-state rose to 115.

Subramaniam said on Thursday that a total of five Malaysians have so far been identified as having tested positive for Zika in Singapore.

U.S. health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies.

The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. </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) </s> KUALA LUMPUR/SINGAPORE, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Malaysia reported its first case of Zika on Thursday, a woman who tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus after a visit to neighbouring Singapore, where 115 people have so far been infected, many of them foreigners.

The 58-year-old victim had shown signs of a rash and fever one week after her return from Singapore on August 21, said Malaysian Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam.

"We are carrying out control measures against aedes mosquitoes near the woman's home to prevent the spread of the virus," he told a news conference.

The Zika virus, which has spread through the Americas and the Caribbean since late last year, is generally a mild disease but is a particular risk to pregnant women. It has been linked to microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had said Singapore is the only Asian nation with an active Zika virus transmission. Officials in the city-state, one of the world's largest financial centres and busiest travel hubs, reported the first locally transmitted infection on Saturday and said on Wednesday the number had jumped to 115.

Singapore authorities detected infections in people living outside the initial outbreak area and have identified a potential second cluster. A pregnant woman was among the victims, they said.

"Over time, we expect Zika cases to emerge from more areas," Singapore's Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong said in a statement on Wednesday. "We must work and plan on the basis that there is Zika transmission in other parts of Singapore and extend our vector control efforts beyond the current affected areas."

Five Malaysians in Singapore had tested positive for Zika, including the latest victim's adult daughter, who works in Singapore, the Malaysian minister said.

Twenty-one Chinese nationals, 13 Indians, six Bangladeshis, and an Indonesian are also among the 115 cases of Zika reported in Singapore, foreign officials said.

Many are believed to be overseas workers at building sites in Singapore, although the Singapore government has not given details of the victims by nationality.

The United States, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea and Indonesia have warned pregnant women not to travel to Singapore.

The outbreak and advisories come as the tourism industry in Singapore already faces weak global economic growth. Singapore's Tourism Board said it was premature to consider any impact on the sector, adding it remained a "safe travel destination".

More than 55 million people pass through Singapore's Changi airport every year. In the first half of this year, tourism arrivals topped 8 million, around 1 million more than a year earlier.

Malaysia has asked people visiting Singapore to use repellent and cover up to avoid mosquito bites. Tens of thousands of people travel between the two nations each day, by boat, air and across two land border crossings.

Both Malaysia and neighbouring Indonesia have stepped up protective measures following the Singapore outbreak, intensifying checks on people arriving from Singapore, introducing thermal scanners and posting paramedics at airports and border checkpoints.

Zika is carried by mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans, but a small number of cases of sexual transmission have been reported in the United States and elsewhere. A case of suspected transmission through a blood transfusion in Brazil has raised questions about other ways Zika may spread.

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, however. </s> JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia is screening travelers from neighboring Singapore for the mosquito-borne Zika virus as the city-state reports a growing number of infections and its first case of a pregnant woman testing positive.

Indonesian Health Ministry spokesman Oscar Primadi said Thursday that health officials are recommending that the Foreign Ministry issue an advisory against nonessential travel to Singapore, particularly for pregnant women.

Singapore issued a statement on Wednesday evening saying it had identified 22 new Zika cases in one particular area of the city and its first case involving a pregnant woman.

Zika has mild effects for most people but doctors believe infection during pregnancy can result in babies with small heads, which is known as microcephaly, and other serious developmental disorders. Singapore had 155 cases as of Wednesday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising travelers to Singapore to take precautions such as protecting themselves against mosquito bites, and because the virus can also be sexually transmitted, to use condoms or not have sex.

Primadi said thermal imaging equipment to detect abnormal body temperatures was installed at eight Indonesian ports with routes serving Singapore, including the capital Jakarta's airport.

He said travelers will also be given a health questionnaire so they will recognize symptoms and know to immediately report to health authorities.

On Thursday, Malaysia's Health Ministry said a 58-year-old woman who traveled to Singapore had become that country's first Zika case.

Health Minister S. Subramaniam said the woman and her husband visited Singapore for three days from Aug. 19. The woman developed a rash a week after her return and later tested positive for Zika in her urine, he said. Her daughter in Singapore tested positive for Zika on Tuesday.

"We can conclude that it is rather easy to get infected by the virus when visiting places that has outbreak, including Singapore," he said. "Proactive action from the community can help stop the spread of Zika virus in Malaysia."

Subramaniam said the virus was believed to be imported from Singapore because the woman started experiencing symptoms on the same day as her daughter.

The ministry has started control activities such as eliminating mosquito breeding sites and fog spraying in her residential area and other places that the patient had visited.

Indonesia has not yet reported any local Zika infections but an Indonesian woman in Singapore is among those infected there.

Associated Press writer Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia contributed to this story. </s> HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has reported its first case of microcephaly likely linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

The 4-month-old girl with an abnormally small head was born in central Vietnam to a mother confirmed to have had the virus when she was pregnant.

The Ministry of Health’s General Department of Preventive Medicine said on its website Sunday that the case had a “high probability of being linked to Zika virus and also the first in Vietnam.”

If confirmed, Vietnam would be the second country in Southeast Asia after Thailand to have microcephaly case linked to Zika.

The virus generally causes a mild flu-like illness, but a major outbreak in Brazil last year revealed that it can result in severe birth defects when pregnant women are infected.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </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
Malaysia reports its first pregnant woman infected with the Zika virus.