Rising number of Bangladesh nationals infected with Zika in Singapore
A worker fogs the common area of a public housing estate at an area where locally transmitted Zika cases were discovered in Singapore, August 31, 2016. Reuters
More Bangladeshi workers have been tested positive for Zika virus in Singapore, raising the number of total cases to 19, the foreign ministry says.
Citing the Singapore Ministry of Heath, it said on Monday the patients were presented with “mild symptoms and have either recovered or (are) recovering.”
“They are being taken care of by the Ministry of Heath of Singapore,” it said in a statement.
“Bangladesh High Commission in Singapore has been in touch with the authorities of Singapore and are monitoring the situation."
Earlier, on Sep 1, the Bangladesh High Commission said they had found 10 Bangladesh nationals among the Zika-infected people in the city state.
Their names and identities have not been disclosed by the authorities for the sake of “privacy”.
The mosquito-borne infection is a cause of global concern for its link with microcephaly in which a baby is born with a small head.
Singapore recently reported the outbreak.
The situation has worsened fast, according to the US Centre for Disease Control that added the city state to its list of Zika-hit countries that pregnant women should avoid.
The Bangladesh mission issued an advisory for its nationals living in the Southeast Asian state and urged them to take precautionary measures to prevent mosquito breeding as vector control is critical in preventing transmission and reducing the risk of the virus.
The government also started compulsory airport screening for the passengers coming from Singapore to Dhaka.
The Aedes Aegypti mosquito that causes Zika also causes dengue fever which is prevalent in Bangladesh.
The Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947. The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis.
Singapore recently reported the outbreak.
The situation has worsened fast, according to the US Centre for Disease Control that added the city state to its list of Zika-hit countries that pregnant women should avoid.
The Bangladesh mission issued an advisory for its nationals living in the Southeast Asian state and urged them to take precautionary measures to prevent mosquito breeding as vector control is critical in preventing transmission and reducing the risk of the virus.
The government also started compulsory airport screening for the passengers coming from Singapore to Dhaka.
The Aedes Aegypti mosquito that causes Zika also causes dengue fever which is prevalent in Bangladesh.
The Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947. The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis.
