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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (April 1) closely monitoring the latest Zika virus update of the World Health Organization (WHO), and again urged the public to adopt strict anti-mosquito measures during travel. Pregnant women and those planning pregnancy should consider deferring their trip to affected areas.
To date, 61 countries/areas have documented Zika virus transmission since 2007 and are detailed below:
A. First Zika outbreak, with no evidence of past circulation, and with ongoing transmission by mosquitos (42)
Risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), microcephaly and other neurological disorders associated with Zika virus is high.
Africa: Cape Verde
Americas (33): Aruba, Barbados, Bolivia, Bonaire, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin, St Maarten, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands, Venezuela;
Southeast Asia: Maldives;
Western Pacific (seven): American Samoa, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu;
B. With evidence of past Zika transmission, with or without ongoing transmission (13)
Zika virus transmission has occurred at low levels in the past.
Africa: Gabon;
Southeast Asia (three): Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand;
Western Pacific (nine): Cambodia, Cook Islands*, French Polynesia*, Laos, Malaysia, Micronesia, New Caledonia*, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines;
*Outbreak over
C. With evidence of person-to-person Zika transmission, other than mosquito-borne transmission (six)
Transmission by modes other than vectors, e.g. by sexual contact, was recorded.
Americas (three): Argentina, Chile, the United States;
Europe (two): France, Italy; and
Western Pacific: New Zealand.
According to the WHO, based on observational, cohort and case-control studies, there is strong scientific consensus that Zika virus is a cause of GBS, microcephaly and other neurological disorders.
The latest WHO Zika update can be accessed on its website (www.who.int/emergencies/zika-virus/situation-report/en).
"The public should pay special attention to areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission (affected areas) and observe our ongoing health advice and special notes during travel," a spokesman for the DH said.
The DH has been maintaining close liaison with the WHO as well as overseas, neighbouring and Mainland health authorities to closely monitor the latest developments of Zika.
Locally, no human Zika cases have been reported to the CHP to date.
To prevent Zika Virus Infection, in addition to general anti-mosquito measures, the DH draws the public's attention to the special notes below:
A. Travelling abroad
* If going to areas with ongoing Zika transmission, travellers, especially those with immune disorders or severe chronic illnesses, should arrange consultation with a doctor at least six weeks before the trip, and take extra preventive measures to avoid mosquito bites;
* Those arriving from affected areas should apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival. If feeling unwell, e.g. having fever, they should seek medical advice as soon as possible, and provide travel details to a doctor;
B. Pregnant women and those preparing for pregnancy
* Pregnant women and those preparing for pregnancy should consider deferring their trip to affected areas. Those who must travel should seek medical advice from their doctor before the trip, adopt contraception if appropriate, strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip, and consult and reveal their travel history to their doctor if symptoms develop after the trip. Women preparing for pregnancy are advised to continue to adopt contraception for 28 days after returning from these areas;
C. Special notes for prevention of sexual transmission regarding potential adverse pregnancy outcomes
* Pregnant women should not have sex with male partners who have travelled to areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission, or else condoms should be used throughout the pregnancy;
* Any male traveller returning from affected areas should:
(i) abstain from sex with his pregnant partner, or else use condoms throughout the pregnancy; and
(ii) use a condom for at least six months if his female partner may get pregnant.
The public may visit the pages below for more disease information and health advice:
* The CHP's Zika page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/43086.html);
* The Zika page of the DH's Travel Health Service (www.travelhealth.gov.hk/english/popup/popup_zika.html);
* The Outbound Travel Alert page of the Security Bureau (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/ota); and
* Anti-mosquito precautions for women (www.fhs.gov.hk/english/health_info/woman/30014.html).
Ends/Friday, April 1, 2016
Issued at HKT 14:58
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