Last Updated on 2016-05-27 , 10:41 am
For many readers, I’m sure you know of dengue fever and how it is spread by the Aedes Mosquito. With the government’s efforts to stop the spread of dengue, many of us are familiar with how to prevent the disease.
But a new threat has appeared from these Aedes mosquitoes, and to say that the new virus, called the Zika virus, is worrying is probably an understatement. Here’s what you need to know about the Zika virus and how you can prevent it by doing the mozzie wipeout.
Do you take the effort to do the mozzie wipeout diligently? In such a densely populated area like Singapore, we must adopt a “one-for-all, all-for-one” mentality (yes, I’ve copied that from the Army) because should even one of us neglect to do our part, everybody’s going down.
What is the Zika Virus
The Zika virus was first discovered in Africa in 1947 and this virus is also spread by the Aedes mosquito. I believe we are all familiar with this species because it has caused an epidemic here in Singapore before.
Transmission
The Zika virus is transmitted primarily via mosquito bites from infected mosquitoes. Mosquitoes who bit an infected person will carry the virus themselves and transmit it to other people the next time they feast. The virus can also be transmitted via sexual intercourse between an infected man and a woman as the virus is said to last longer in semen than blood.
Symptoms
The main cause for concern about the Zika virus here in Singapore is that an individual infected with the Zika virus typically has symptoms similar to dengue fever and this can only be confirmed through blood tests.
Birth defects
The main reason why the Zika virus is so feared worldwide is due to the fact that it hit us where it hurts most: our children. Infected mothers can pass the virus to the unborn baby, leading to birth defects such as microcephaly, a neurological disorder which sees infants born with a smaller head and brains.
How to prevent it
The authorities have clarified that despite reports of a single Zika case being found here in Singapore, there is no need to panic as the patient was infected in Brazil, where there was an outbreak of the Zika virus. They have also reminded everyone to carry out checks stagnant water in their own homes to prevent the breeding of mosquitos.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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