Thailand on alert against Zika virus

Bangkok, Sep 6: Thailand's health authorities have stepped up surveillance on the spread of Zika after two women in Bangkok were found to have been infected with the deadly virus.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said that from Janaury 1 to September 4 this year there were eight Zika virus cases in the capital, including two cases of pregnant women.

One of the woman has already given birth to a healthy baby who has no symptoms of the virus so far. However, authorities said they will continue to monitor the baby's health and conduct regular blood and urine tests.

Another infected woman is in her 18th week of pregnancy and her condition is being closely monitored by health authorities, according to Benjasai Keeyapat, the BMA's spokesperson.

The BMA's immediate actions are to eradicate the sources of the mosquitos that carry the virus and build an effective monitoring and reporting network. During the four-month period, Benjasai said there were two groups of infected persons in Bangkok.

One group included people who reside in Bangkok but have recently travelled to provinces where there have been cases of Zika infection.

The second group included six infected provincial residents who earlier came to Bangkok but returned to normal health, The Nation newspaper reported. Benjasai said the BMA has increased its public information campaigns to advise Bangkok residents of the virus and its potential danger to pregnant women as their babies could suffer from microcephaly, a congenital condition associated with incomplete brain development.

Thailand has reported a total of 97 Zika virus cases since the start of this year, with infected persons found in 16 provinces. Four provinces, namely Chiang Mai, Chanthaburi, Phetchabun and Bung Kan, are being closely monitored, it said.

PTI