Myanmar takes preventive measures against Zika

Hanoi (VNA) – Myanmar is on high alert and has taken measures against the Zika virus following the first case detected in the city of Yangon last week.

A 32-year-old foreign woman tested positive for the virus. Authorities set her to stay at home with medical treatment for an initial two weeks without announcing her citizenship.

Authorities have also given her psychotherapy as she is worried about her pregnancy.

The infected woman has lived in Yangon for two years. She was believed to be infected with the virus during a trip abroad in the last two weeks.
Authorities have carried out medical checks on more than 30 people in the area where the infected woman lives but yet to find another infected person.

Myanmar is the 73rd country where the Zika virus case was detected worldwide, including 19 in the Asia Pacific region.

More than 300 Zika infections were reported in Myanmar’s neighbouring country of Thailand. To prevent further the spread of Zika in Myanmar, the Health Ministry is monitoring every point of entry into the country for the virus, especially at international airports in Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw as well as at port terminals in Yangon.

Zika is mainly transmitted through the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which also carries dengue fever. The virus causes only mild symptoms in most, including fever, sore eyes and a rash. But pregnant women infected with the virus risk can give birth birth to babies with microcephaly - a deformation that leads to abnormally small heads.

Currently there is no vaccine or specific medicine to treat the disease.

Brazil is worst affected by the Zika virus with about 1.5 million patients.-VNA