Zika's emerging threat for the Asia-Pacific region

Abstract

“Any time there's disease in Singapore, we say that disease is hard to control”, said Tom Frieden the head of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when he expressed concerns about the surge of Zika virus infection cases in a country with a health-care system widely perceived as strong and efficient. The first locally transmitted Zika virus infection case was reported on Aug 27, but as of Sept 5, 258 Zika virus infections were confirmed by Singapore authorities. The Ministry of Health and National Environment Agency in Singapore have intensified mosquito vector control to reduce the spread of Zika virus, extended subsidies for the Zika test to all Singaporeans with Zika symptoms, screened close contacts of infected patients, and regularly reported new Zika virus cases. The rapid, transparent, and efficient response of Singapore in identifying Zika virus infection was praised by WHO as a role model for other countries.Zika virus is known to have long been circulating in parts of the Asia-Pacific region, and Singapore is not the only country that has reported Zika cases. Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam all reported possible endemic transmission or evidence of local mosquito-borne Zika infection in 2016, according to WHO. On Sept 1, Malaysia confirmed its first case of Zika infection, in a woman who had recently visited Singapore. A new modelling study published last week in The Lancet Infectious Diseases predicted that many countries across Asia Pacific may be vulnerable to Zika virus outbreaks, with India, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Bangladesh expected to be at greatest risk of Zika virus transmission due to a combination of high travel volumes from Zika affected areas, living areas with competent mosquito vectors and suitable climatic conditions, and large populations or limited health resources.Zika virus' ongoing geographical expansion and its potential for epidemics in the Asia-Pacific region deserve greater global scrutiny. Time-sensitive support and guidance on effective surveillance and management of Zika virus disease are warranted, especially for countries with highly susceptible, low capacity public health systems. “Any time there's disease in Singapore, we say that disease is hard to control”, said Tom Frieden the head of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when he expressed concerns about the surge of Zika virus infection cases in a country with a health-care system widely perceived as strong and efficient. The first locally transmitted Zika virus infection case was reported on Aug 27, but as of Sept 5, 258 Zika virus infections were confirmed by Singapore authorities. The Ministry of Health and National Environment Agency in Singapore have intensified mosquito vector control to reduce the spread of Zika virus, extended subsidies for the Zika test to all Singaporeans with Zika symptoms, screened close contacts of infected patients, and regularly reported new Zika virus cases. The rapid, transparent, and efficient response of Singapore in identifying Zika virus infection was praised by WHO as a role model for other countries. Zika virus is known to have long been circulating in parts of the Asia-Pacific region, and Singapore is not the only country that has reported Zika cases. Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam all reported possible endemic transmission or evidence of local mosquito-borne Zika infection in 2016, according to WHO. On Sept 1, Malaysia confirmed its first case of Zika infection, in a woman who had recently visited Singapore. A new modelling study published last week in The Lancet Infectious Diseases predicted that many countries across Asia Pacific may be vulnerable to Zika virus outbreaks, with India, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Bangladesh expected to be at greatest risk of Zika virus transmission due to a combination of high travel volumes from Zika affected areas, living areas with competent mosquito vectors and suitable climatic conditions, and large populations or limited health resources. Zika virus' ongoing geographical expansion and its potential for epidemics in the Asia-Pacific region deserve greater global scrutiny. Time-sensitive support and guidance on effective surveillance and management of Zika virus disease are warranted, especially for countries with highly susceptible, low capacity public health systems.