LA PAZ, Bolivia (AFP) — Bolivia has detected its first three cases of microcephaly caused by the Zika virus, local media reported Wednesday, citing health authorities. Two babies were born with the birth defect in September and a third in October, said the director of the public health service for the department of Santa Cruz, Aida Aguilera, quoted by local newspaper El Dia de Santa Cruz. She said the eastern region had registered 127 cases […]
Tag: microcephaly
Zika Virus pinaghahandaan na ng PHO-Palawan
PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan (Eagle News) – Bilang paghahanda sa patuloy na pagtaas ng bilang ng kaso ng zika virus sa bansa ay nagbigay ng kaalaman at impormasyon ang Provincial Health Office (PHO) patungkol sa impeksyong ito at mga dapat isaalang-alang ng mga mamamayan para maiwasan ito. Sa kasalukuyan, ang zika virus ay itinuturing nang pandaigdigang suliraning pangkalusugan. Ayon kay Gng. Ida S. Viray, Health Education and Promotions Officer (HEPO) II ng PHO, ang zika virus […]
Thailand considers Zika tests for all pregnant women
By Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand is considering testing all pregnant women for Zika, the health ministry said on Monday, following confirmation last week of its first known cases of microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size, linked to the Zika virus. The two confirmed cases of microcephaly were the first in Southeast Asia linked to Zika, which has been spreading in the region after outbreaks in […]
First Thai babies diagnosed with Zika-linked microcephaly
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Thai health authorities on Friday said microcephaly in two babies was caused by the Zika virus, in what is believed to be Southeast Asia’s first confirmed case of a link between the sickness and the birth defect. Tourism is expected to account for 17 percent of Thailand’s GDP this year, and authorities will be desperate to prevent visitor numbers from tailing off after Friday’s announcement. “Two of the three infants (tested) […]
World must ready for global microcephaly ‘epidemic’: study
by Mariëtte Le Roux PARIS, France (AFP) — The world should prepare for a “global epidemic” of microcephaly, a condition which restricts head growth in foetuses, as the Zika virus takes root in new countries, researchers said Friday. Scientists from Brazil and Britain said they had found additional evidence that Zika is what causes the often debilitating disorder, a link already widely accepted in medical circles. In a study conducted among newborns in Brazil — […]
World must ready for global microcephaly ‘epidemic’: study
by Mariëtte Le Roux PARIS, France (AFP) — The world should prepare for a “global epidemic” of microcephaly, a condition which restricts head growth in fetuses, as the Zika virus takes root in new countries, researchers said Friday. Scientists from Brazil and Britain said they had found additional evidence that Zika is what causes the often debilitating disorder, a link already widely accepted in medical circles. In a study conducted among newborns in Brazil — hardest hit […]
Zika could live in eyes, spread through tears: study
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The Zika virus can live in eyes, researchers said Tuesday, after conducting experiments on mice that may explain why some patients develop ocular disease and in some cases become blind. The study, published in the journal Cell Reports, studied the effects of Zika virus infection in the eyes of fetal, newborn and adult mice. “Our study suggests that the eye could be a reservoir for Zika virus,” said Michael Diamond, […]
Malaysian infected by Zika died from heart disease complications: ministry
By A. Ananthalakshmi KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – A 61-year-old man diagnosed with the first case of a locally transmitted Zika infection in Malaysia has died from heart disease complications, and not from the mosquito-borne virus, the health ministry said on Saturday. The ministry had said earlier that the patient was already suffering from high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, kidney stones and gout before he sought medical attention on Aug. 30. […]
Singapore confirms 27 more locally transmitted Zika cases
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore authorities on Sunday confirmed 27 more cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection, bringing the total to 242. Twenty-five new cases were linked to the initial outbreak area, one was linked to a potential new cluster and the remaining new case had no known links to any existing cluster, the Ministry of Health and National Environment Agency said in a joint statement. “There is a potential new cluster involving one […]
Malaysia confirms first case of Zika, launches measures to contain spread of virus
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia confirmed on Thursday its first case of Zika after a woman tested positive for the virus following a three-day visit to neighboring Singapore on August 19. The 58-year-old woman had showed signs of a rash and fever one week after returning from Singapore, according to Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam. “We are carrying out control measures against aedes mosquitoes near the woman’s home to prevent the spread of the virus,” […]
Study in mice shows Zika virus also attacks adult brain cells
CHICAGO (Reuters) – U.S. researchers have found that Zika can attack special populations of brain cells in adult mice in the part of the brain involved in learning and memory, raising new questions about how the virus may be impacting millions of adults who have been infected with the virus. The findings, published on Thursday in the journal “Cell Stem Cell,” are the first to look at whether Zika can attack the same kinds […]
Factbox: Why the Zika virus is causing alarm
(REUTERS HEALTH) Global health officials are racing to better understand the Zika virus behind a major outbreak that began in Brazil last year and has spread to many countries in the Americas. The following are some questions and answers about the virus and current outbreak: How do people become infected? Zika is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same type that spreads dengue, chikungunya […]





