Over the past few months, the Zika virus has become a “public health emergency of international concern.”
Dr. Gundo Weiler, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to the Philippines, reports that there are now 72 countries affected by the virus.
In Singapore alone, there have been 240 reported cases.
According to a report by CNN, the Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed the first case of Zika virus in the Philippines this year. The patient was identified as a 45-year-old married woman residing in Iloilo City.
Hers is the sixth case of Zika recorded in the country since 2012.
The infection is believed to have been acquired locally since the said patient had not traveled to any Zika-stricken countries in the past two weeks.
photo: dreamstime
Following complaints of skin rash and joint pains, she was confined immediately on the 31st of August. Her symptoms, however, were not accompanied by a fever.
A series of blood and urine tests confirmed the diagnosis. After spending a night in the hospital, she was sent home to recover.
Her husband will also undergo the same lab tests, because the virus can be sexually transmitted.
DOH urges the public to help by “being good citizens”
DOH Secretary Paulyn Ubial reassured the public that they are intensifying their efforts to monitor and document the spread of the virus around the country, which they described as “sporadic”.
Mosquito-control efforts, which includes targeted fogging, is being enforced in many areas.
To help their effort, Health Secretary Ubial urged the public to “be good citizens” and do their part.
“The key to Zika prevention is heightened vigilance and stronger community efforts that every household should observe,” said Ubial. She suggests destroying mosquito breeding sites, using approved insect repellents, and covering exposed skin.
She also reminded everyone not to take skin rashes, fever, headache, and red eyes lightly and to consult your doctor immediately.
Find out what the Department of Health is doing to combat Zika virus on the next page
Since the Zika virus have been detected in Singapore and Malaysia, the DOH has been on heightened alert.
Passengers entering the country are all being screened by the Bureau of Quarantine using thermal scanners to assess fever, and observing them for signs and symptoms such as rashes, joint pains, and sore eyes.
Once a passenger is suspected to have contracted the virus, they will be escorted for further tests, diagnosis and monitoring at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City.
photo: dreamstime
Zika virus, like dengue, is transmitted through a bite from Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. It can also be sexually transmitted, so the DOH is urging pregnant women—or those planning to get pregnant–and their partners to practice safe sex.
Zika has been linked to severe brain and other neurological defects among babies in utero, chief of which is microcephaly, a condition where a baby is born with an underdeveloped head and brain.
A 24/7 hotline has been set up by the DOH for citizens and foreign nationals alike for any concerns related to the Zika virus. The hotlines are 711-1001 or 711-1002.
READ: What you need to know about the Zika virus
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