Number of pregnant women with Zika jumps to 16

SINGAPORE — Sixteen pregnant women in Singapore have been infected with the Zika virus, the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed on Friday (Sept 23). The update is double that of the last publicly known figure.

When Health Minister Gan Kim Yong addressed concerns about the virus in a statement in Parliament on Sept 13, he said that there were eight pregnant women among the 333 persons who tested positive for Zika in Singapore.

Responding to media queries on Friday night, the MOH said that 658 Zika tests were conducted between Sep 7 and Sep 17, of which 197 were for pregnant and or symptomatic individuals who required the test.

The doctors of the 16 pregnant women are following up closely with them to provide counselling and support, said the MOH. Channel NewsAsia first reported the spike in number of pregnant women infected with Zika.

On Friday, two new cases of locally-transmitted Zika were confirmed, bringing the total number to 387 cases.

Meanwhile, the total number of clusters remains at nine.

These are: Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive/Paya Lebar Way/Kallang Way/Circuit Road/Geylang East Central/Geylang East Avenue 1; Bedok North Avenue 2/Bedok North Avenue 3/Bedok North Street 3; Joo Seng Road; Bishan Street 12; Elite Terrace; Ubi Crescent; Jalan Raya/Circuit Road; Sengkang Central/Sengkang East Avenue and Hougang Ave 7.