Government Confirms Indonesian Affected by Zika in Singapore

Jakarta, 30 Dzulqa’dah 1437/02 Septembr 2016  (MINA)  – The Indonesian government has confirmed that its citizen has contracted the Zika virus in Singapore, Antara reported, quoting a spokesperson.

“The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore has been notified by the Health Ministry of Singapore that an Indonesian national has tested positive for the Zika virus,” Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministrys spokesperson, Arrmanatha Nasir, remarked here on Thursday.

Nasir revealed during a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Singaporean Health Ministry had only informed the embassy about the nationality and gender of the affected citizen, who is a female, due to privacy concerns.

“She is now receiving treatment at a hospital in Singapore,” he noted.

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The Health Ministry of Singapore has issued a level-two warning related to the rapid outbreak of the Zika virus on August 29, and until now, 115 confirmed cases of the viral infection, spread by local mosquitoes, have been reported.

Nasir stated that since then, the Indonesian Health Ministry has been working closely with its counterpart in Singapore to monitor the case.

On August 30, the Ministry of Health had issued a travel advisory to its citizens planning to travel to Zika-affected countries, including Singapore.

The government has also raised health awareness among travelers by ensuring screening at ports and airports.

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The Riau Health Department has taken certain anticipatory measures to prevent the spread of Zika, among other steps.

The health department, in cooperation with vessel owners, will be distributing health alert cards to all passengers from Singapore to Batam.

On the yellow card, the passengers would be required to answer certain questions regarding any diseases they may have contracted and the countries they have visited recently.

On arrival at the port in Indonesia, the officers will record the passengers body temperature.

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Among the symptoms of the Zika virus attack are fever, headache, and joint pain that are occasionally accompanied by a rash, red rash, or inflammation of the eye. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)

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