About 300 M’sian patients declared clear of dengue, Zika

Some 293 patients in Malaysia who were tested for dengue and Zika after showing symptoms of dengue, were declared clear of both diseases yesterday, according to health officials.

Both mosquito-borne viruses have similar symptoms. The Aedes mosquito, which is the carrier for the dengue virus, also spreads the Zika virus.

Malaysian Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam warned that dengue-prevalent Malaysia offered a conducive environment for the spread of the disease. “When you have the Aedes mosquito (in your country), all it requires is the virus (to spread the disease),” he said.

“In countries where the (Aedes) mosquito is not there, even if the virus reaches (there) it will not spread because the vector is not there. Unfortunately in this region, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, we all have the (Aedes) mosquito.”

The Malaysian authorities have issued guidelines for people to protect themselves against the Zika virus, advising Malaysians, particularly pregnant women, to postpone travel to 24 countries in Central and South America, where the Zika virus had been detected.

Dr Subramaniam highlighted the difficulties in detecting the Zika virus in those who were visiting or returning to Malaysia, given that almost 80 per cent of those affected do not show any symptoms.

“There are challenges because the (Aedes) mosquito is there,” he said. “Secondly, people are asymptomatic. Thirdly, there’s no drug to treat the disease.”

The Malaysian Health Ministry announced that it would be monitoring health clinics and hospitals for signs of infected patients or cases of microcephaly, a condition where babies are born with abnormally small heads that experts believe is linked to Zika.

The country’s health officials held a special meeting on Tuesday on how to handle the virus, after the World Health Organisation declared it an international public health emergency.

For now, the Health Ministry is asking visitors or returning Malaysians who are exhibiting symptoms to inform health officials on duty at entry points. Those without symptoms will still be given information on what to do if they begin exhibiting symptoms within a month.

CNA AND AGENCIES