The Zika virus in on a tear through Singapore, with an explosion of cases where there had previously been a total of zero! Of the locals impacted, two are pregnant woman and that’s cause for serious concern due to the impact of the virus on unborn babies.
Why is Zika gaining such a foothold where it previously had none? That’s a complicated question with a simple answer: Immunity. Many people in Singapore simply don’t have the immunity to thwart the virus if they are exposed to it and that can allow the virus to spread far and wide at a very fast pace.
Where It All Started
It is believed these new cases of Zika in Singapore are the result of a 58-year-old Malaysian woman contracting the disease after visiting her daughter in Singapore. There is now an alert advising pregnant women not to travel to Singapore.
Zika and Dengue Fever: Travel Partners
Singapore is known as a hotbed for dengue virus, a virus also transmitted by the same mosquitoes that harbor the Zika virus. Zika closely related to dengue, with genetic traits that allow it to spread in the same places, in the same ways, as dengue. That’s why where new cases of dengue fever pop up, it’s likely Zika will as well. To put it in perspective, Singapore’s Ministry of Health expects as many as 30,000 cases of dengue to occur in 2016 – and Zika could be right there along with it.
Cities: A Hotbed of Zika Activity
Singapore is a place where a lot of people live really close together. This makes it the perfect place for Zika to spread like wildfire. This is because with people so densely packed together just a few infected mosquitoes can infect a large number of people.
So, what is Singapore going to do? It’s been trying to encourage its residents to make their homes less hospitable to mosquitoes that carry the virus by getting rid of pooling water and encouraging people to wear bug spray. The government is also locating and destroying mosquito breeding grounds, but they can only do so much without the help of the public.
Those lessons should be followed in the United States too. If you’re concerned about Zika, then make your home a place mosquitoes won’t flock to. Make sure even a small amount of water can’t pool outdoors, and wear bug spray when you’re outside. If you have questions or concerns about Zika, contact the pros at MosquitoNix today!
