MANILA: The Zika virus is set to spread through Asia, the World Health Organization warned Monday, with hundreds of cases reported in Singapore and two Thai babies diagnosed with Zika-linked microcephaly. The mosquito-borne virus has been detected in 70 countries worldwide including at least 19 countries in the Asia Pacific region, said WHO director for health security and emergencies Li Ailan. “It is highly likely that the region will continue to report new cases and possibly new outbreaks of Zika,” the report added. There have been more than 400 Zika cases detected in Singapore, while Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia have reported fewer than 20 each, said Chan. But pregnant women with the mosquito-borne virus risk giving birth to babies with microcephaly—a deformation that leads to abnormally small brains and heads.

Source: Manila Times October 10, 2016 11:37 UTC