The first Zika case of 2018 has been recorded and it broke a four-month streak without a single reported case of the Zika virus. Now, the first case of the new year has been confirmed in Singapore.
The Ministry of Health says the latest case is the first since September 29, 2017.
The patient sought outpatient treatment and is doing well, according to the Ministry of Health. While they confirmed the case and status of the patient, they declined to comment on where the infection originated or any further details on the case.
Doctors cited patient confidentiality.
Not the most settling answer. The first case of Zika that was locally transmitted in Singapore was reported in August 2016 and by the end of the year, the number of victims would rise to 450 people.
The aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for the spread of the virus which has been associated neurological diseases such as microcephaly, this causes babies to be born with a smaller head.
The small head caused by the virus is thought to be a result of abnormalities in the development of the brain.
According to the Health Ministry, <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/a-declining-threat-on-the-trail-of-the-zika-virus-a-year-after-9435660">last year</a> of the 17 women who were diagnosed with Zika during pregnancy two had their pregnancies aborted while one had a miscarriage.
The Health Ministry said the reasons for the miscarriage were not linked to Zika. They also said the other 14 women gave birth to babies with no signs of microcephaly.
The National Environment Agency website says there are currently no clusters of Zika outbreak in the nation of Singapore. The January 2018 case appears to be isolated at this time.
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Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/first-zika-case-of-2018-reported-in-singapore-9887440
