The United States and Britain joined Australia and Taiwan in advising pregnant women to avoid non-essential travel to the city-state. But in pregnant women, it can cause microcephaly, a deformation in which babies are born with abnormally small brains and heads. The health ministry said that “all pregnant women in Singapore with symptoms of Zika -- fever and rash and other symptoms such as red eyes or joint pain” should be tested for infection. Pregnant women with male partners who have been tested positive were also told to visit their doctors. “We advise pregnant women to undertake strict precautions against mosquito bites and seek medical attention immediately if they become symptomatic,” the ministry said in a statement late Tuesday.

Source: Sunday Times August 31, 2016 07:07 UTC