Second Zika cluster closed

SINGAPORE — The Bedok North area is now no longer an active Zika cluster, according to an update on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Zika website on Friday (Sept 30).

This makes it the second cluster to be closed, after the Bishan Street 12 cluster was closed on Wednesday.

The cluster, which saw a total of five reported Zika cases, comprises areas at Bedok North Avenue 2, Bedok North Avenue 3, Bedok North Street 3.

There are now seven active clusters:

Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive/Paya Lebar Way/Kallang Way/Circuit Road/Geylang East Central/Geylang East Avenue 1;

Joo Seng Road;

Elite Terrace;

Ubi Crescent;

Jalan Raya/Circuit Road;

Sengkang Central/Sengkang East Avenue

Hougang Ave 7.

Meanwhile, there have been no new locally-transmitted Zika infections here on Friday, with the total number standing at 398.

Separately, Thailand confirmed on Friday that the Zika virus had caused two cases of microcephaly, a condition that results in babies being born with small heads. This is the first time microcephaly had been linked to Zika in South-east Asia.