Four Zika clusters closed; no new cases in Singapore for third day running
Posted 04 Oct 2016 17:02
Updated 04 Oct 2016 17:20
SINGAPORE: Four Zika clusters were closed on Tuesday (Oct 4), according to data on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) website.
The clusters at Joo Seng Road, Ubi Ave 1, Balam Road and Hougang Avenue 7 have all been declared closed after no new cases were reported there in the last two weeks.
Three clusters remain open - the main one at Aljunied/Sims Drive, as well as the Elite Terrace and Sengkang Central clusters. The Aljunied/Sims Drive cluster saw three new cases in the last fortnight, and the other two clusters had none.
NEA data also showed that no new Zika infections were reported in Singapore for the third consecutive day. The last confirmed case was reported on Oct 1.
continue reading here :
Only one Zika cluster left; total number of cases surpasses 400
Published 1 hour ago
Chew Hui Min
SINGAPORE - Only one Zika cluster - in Aljunied - is left, after six closed this week.
There were two new cases of Zika in Singapore on Wednesday (Oct 5), after three days with no new cases, according to data on the National Environment Agency website.
Two clusters, in Elite Terrace and Sengkang, were closed after two weeks with no new cases.
Four clusters were closed on Tuesday - Joo Seng Road/Vernon Park, Ubi Avenue 1/Ubi Crescent, Balam Road/Circuit Road/Jalan Raya and Hougang Avenue 7.
continue reading here :
Six Zika cases reported; new cluster at Ubi Ave 1
Posted 14 Oct 2016 00:17
Updated 14 Oct 2016 03:50
SINGAPORE: Six new Zika cases were reported on Thursday (Oct 13) according to data on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) website, after a week-long stretch that saw no new cases on most days.
A new cluster was also identified at Ubi Avenue 1, with two cases as of Thursday. An earlier Zika cluster at the same location was closed on Oct 4 after no new cases were reported there for two weeks.
The only other cluster still open is the main one at Aljunied/Sims Drive, which has seen 298 cases since the start of the outbreak on Aug 27, but none with onset in the last two weeks.
The new cases bring the total number of locally transmitted Zika infections in Singapore to 407.
continue reading here :
Zika: How worried should we be?
Published 4 hours ago
The World Health Organisation warned on Monday that the Zika virus is set to spread throughout Asia. So far, the virus has been detected in 70 countries worldwide, including at least 19 in the Asia-Pacific region. In Singapore alone, there have been more than 400 reported cases of Zika this year. Is there cause for alarm? The Straits Times speaks to microbiologist Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who co-discovered the Ebola virus in 1976.
Carolyn Khew
Q How worrying is the Zika situation in Singapore, and what are the chances of it becoming endemic in the country?
A We think Zika is endemic in South-east Asia, and has been in the region for decades. In Thailand and Malaysia, it certainly is, and so it’s likely already endemic in Singapore as well.
Even though this outbreak is probably part of the endemic circulation of Zika, people have not been looking for it or diagnosing it until recently. For example, in the past it may have been mistaken for dengue. With the publicity around the epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean, there has been increased surveillance and diagnosis of Zika.
However, scientists in Singapore confirmed that they have been looking for Zika for several years now.
Q Mosquitoes are responsible for more than half a million deaths every year worldwide. Why are they so hard to stamp out even in a place like Singapore - known for its extensive mosquito- eradication efforts?
continue reading here :
NEA to run mosquito control trial next week
Published 4 hours ago
Male mozzies modified to inhibit egg hatching to be released in Braddell Heights
Samantha Boh
As part of a trial to control the spread of dengue, male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia bacteria will be released at the Braddell Heights housing estate next Tuesday.
The small-scale trial is the first of three planned by the National Environment Agency (NEA). The other two will be carried out in Nee Soon East and Tampines West within the next month.
When male mosquitoes carrying the naturally occurring Wolbachia mate with females, the bacteria causes the females to produce eggs that do not hatch.
Over time, this could lead to a fall in the Aedes aegypti population; these mosquitoes transmit viruses that cause dengue fever as well as chikungunya and Zika. A trial was first run in Australia five years ago and has shown success in reducing local transmission of dengue.
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...rial-next-week
Just kill the dam Aedes mosquito will do .
Singapore’s first and largest local Zika cluster at Aljunied has closed; 2 active clusters remain
Published 2 hours ago
Derek Wong
SINGAPORE - Singapore’s first and largest local Zika cluster at Aljunied has closed, but two active clusters remain at Ubi Avenue 1 and Jalan Chengkak/Jalan Raya, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Tuesday (Oct 18).
The cluster at Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive closed on Oct 9 after no new cases were reported there for two weeks. In its press release, NEA said it would continue to keep the area under close surveillance until Oct 31, three weeks after the closure date.
The cluster was first notified on Aug 27 and a total of 298 Zika cases were reported. A total of 128 mosquito breeding habitats, comprising 60 in homes and 68 in common areas and other premises, were detected and destroyed during NEA inspections.
NEA, in its statement, said two active Zika clusters remain at Ubi Avenue 1 and Jalan Chengkak/Jalan Raya. The clusters were notified on Oct 13 and Oct 17 respectively. Sporadic cases continue to be reported in Singapore, it added.
Professor Duane Gubler, founding director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme at Duke-NUS Medical School, said: “The collective effort by NEA and the community has managed to rapidly contain what could have been a major epidemic.
continue reading here :
New Zika cluster identified at Veerasamy Road in Little India
Posted 19 Oct 2016 17:48
Updated 19 Oct 2016 18:23
SINGAPORE: A new Zika cluster has been identified at Veerasamy Road in the Little India district, according to data on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) website on Wednesday (Oct 19).
As of Wednesday, two cases have been reported at Block 633, Veerasamy Road, with both showing symptoms in the last two weeks, the NEA said.
There are two other active clusters in the country, at Ubi Avenue 1 – with four cases reported – and Jalan Chengkak/Jalan Raya, with three cases reported so far. They were declared clusters on Oct 13 and Oct 17 respectively.
The identification of the new cluster comes a day after the first and biggest local Zika cluster – in the Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive area – was declared closed.
In its media release on Tuesday, NEA noted that sporadic cases continue to be reported in Singapore, indicating the presence of the Zika virus within the community. It added that it was keeping the Aljunied Crescent/Sims Drive area under close surveillance, and will continue to do so until Oct 31, three weeks after the date the cluster was closed.
continue reading here :
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...a/3218528.html
They should just kill the Aedes mosquitoes.
No cases of birth defects linked to Zika in Singapore so far
Published 9 hours ago
2 women diagnosed with virus while pregnant have since had babies free of microcephaly
Jalelah Abu Baker
Two women who were diagnosed with Zika while pregnant have given birth, and their babies have no signs of microcephaly, a birth defect linked to the virus. The mothers have also recovered from Zika.
To date, there are no reported cases of Zika-linked microcephaly in Singapore, the Ministry of Health (MOH) told The Straits Times.
The defect is marked by babies having small heads that can lead to severe developmental problems. As of Nov 1, 17 pregnant women were confirmed to have Zika, an MOH spokesman said.
“Their doctors are following up closely with them to provide support and counselling,” she added.
The family of a third woman found to have Zika during her pregnancy said her unborn baby’s development has been healthy so far.
NOT LETTING GUARD DOWN
Since the wet season is here, we may expect more mosquitoes. It’s better for me to keep up with the measures I have adopted. They give me peace of mind.
MS CHRISTINE KOH, who is due to give birth in February.
MOH is exploring plans to set up a national surveillance programme to monitor the development of babies born to pregnant women with Zika.
Still, pregnant women here are not taking any risks. Ms Christine Koh, now 26 weeks pregnant, armed herself with mosquito patches, repellents and air diffusers, after the Zika outbreak here was first reported in late August.
Over two months on, the housewife, who lives in Telok Kurau, a frequent dengue cluster, still does so. She also ensures her home has no stagnant water, a breeding site for the Aedes mosquito which can spread Zika and dengue.
“Since the wet season is here, we may expect more mosquitoes. It’s better for me to keep up with the measures I have adopted. They give me peace of mind,” Ms Koh, 31, said. She is due to give birth in February.
Consumers are still snapping up anti-mosquito products, despite fewer new Zika cases reported.
Supermarkets and pharmacies said that while sales of anti-mozzie products have slowed in recent weeks, they remain higher than before the Zika outbreak here.
continue reading here :
Babies born to Zika patients to be monitored until age 3: MOH
By Vimita Mohandas
Posted 27 Dec 2016 20:36
Updated 27 Dec 2016 22:53
SINGAPORE: Babies born to women who were infected with Zika during pregnancy will be monitored until they reach the age of three, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday (Dec 27).
There have not been any reported cases of Zika-linked microcephaly in Singapore yet, although the virus has been linked to the birth defect elsewhere - Colombia reported a spike in microcephaly and about six per cent of Zika pregnancies in the United States resulted in babies with birth defects.
In Singapore, 17 pregnant women were confirmed to have contracted Zika as of Dec 21. Three of them have given birth and their babies have no signs of microcephaly. Doctors will continue to follow up closely with the pregnant women and their babies, said MOH.
One woman had a miscarriage for reasons not linked to Zika. Two pregnancies were terminated, although there was no evidence that the foetuses were infected with Zika.
MOH declined to give further details, citing patient confidentiality.
continue reading here :
Zika cluster reported at Simon Place
Posted 29 Mar 2017 19:08
SINGAPORE: Two cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infections have been confirmed at Simon Place, the National Environment Agency said on Wednesday (Mar 29).
This is the first Zika cluster reported in Singapore this year.
Both cases are residents from the same household, NEA added in a media release.
The Zika cluster was notified on Tuesday and vector control operations are being carried out in the area.
“As of Mar 29, NEA has inspected about 120 premises out of about 400 premises in the Simon Place cluster to check for mosquito breeding, and also conducted ground checks in the vicinity. 10 breeding habitats – comprising seven in homes and three in common areas/other premises – have been detected and destroyed,” said NEA.
continue reading here :
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...e/3634908.html
Time to start killing mosquitoes again . Another problem not solved .