Zika virus invading Asian states

Sagar Biswas :Bangladesh is yet to take any pre-cautionary measures to check the spread of Zika virus though several Asian countries, including neighbouring India, have issued advisories to prevent the disease which could be linked to birth defects and can cause temporary paralysis. There is an apprehension that Zika, an emerging Aedes-mosquito-borne virus which is spreading throughout the Americas recently, could reach Bangladesh anytime through travellers. But the Ministry of Health has not yet issued any caution or travel advisory in this regard. The issuance of travel advisory about Zika virus has got high importance when Thailand and Taiwan recently reported cases of the Zika virus infection among locals. It becomes a major concern in Bangladesh, as a good number of Bangladeshi people frequently travel both countries, which could increase the risk of entering the virus here.When contacted, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon told The New Nation last night, “We haven’t got any kind of instruction from Health Ministry till the date. We cannot impose travel alert on health issue without their [Health Ministry] clearance.” Aedes aegypti, the carrier of the virus, is also responsible for spreading dengue fever throughout the Indian sub-continent, especially in Bangladesh and India. Health Ministry officials, however, expressed satisfaction as saying that there have been no reports of outbreak of Zika in Bangladesh. On the other hand, Prof Mahmudur Rahman, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research [IEDCR], said on Saturday, “Bangladesh could be a victim of such a deadly virus if it starts to spread at an epidemic form. Any country of the world may face such situation.”Meanwhile, the governments of several Asian countries have issued advisories in a bid to contain the mosquito-borne disease. Of them, India is stepping up surveillance and has set up a technical group to monitor the situation. Indian Health Minister Shri J. P. Naddahas has stressed controlling the spread of Aedes mosquitoes that transmit dengue and the Zika virus and breed in clean water.South Korean officials have advised pregnant women against travelling to Central and South America and required doctors to immediately report suspected cases. The Malaysian health authorities have asked travelers from South and Central America who display symptoms such as fever and rashes to immediately report to health centres. Japan’s Foreign Ministry urges women to try to avoid travelling to Brazil and other affected countries during pregnancy, and advised all travelers to the region to use caution. It suggested wearing long sleeves and pants, using mosquito sprays and avoid leaving out buckets and other containers that can catch water, and report to medical institutions in case of developing suspected symptoms.The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is advising pregnant women to avoid travel in areas where Zika is active. Cambodia’s Health Ministry is advising caution and says it’s following the situation in countries with the Zika virus closely. Hong Kong Health officials are advising pregnant women and those planning pregnancy to adopt necessary anti-mosquito precautions, and consider deferring travel. The Vietnamese Health authority has warned people coming from countries with the Zika virus to monitor their health for 14 days and if they develop fever to report to medical facilities.The World Health Organisation’s [WHO] warned that the Zika virus is “spreading explosively”. The Zika virus has been associated with an unusual spike in Brazil, in babies being born with unusually-small heads. Meanwhile, WHO Director-General, Margaret Chan, will convene an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Zika virus on Monday [1 February] in Geneva to ascertain whether the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.In May 2015, Brazil reported its first case of Zika virus disease. Since then, the disease has spread within Brazil and to 22 other countries and territories in the South America region.