HPA: No Maldivian infected with zika, threat is imminent

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has reported that none of the 55 Maldivians suspected of being infected with zika had tested positive.

HPA’s epidemiologist, Ibrahim Afzal spoke to “Sun” this Tuesday and said that samples had been taken from 112 people living in Maldives to test for zika, and that none of the results of 55 samples they had received so far had come up positive for the virus.

Afzal said that HPA was taking samples strategically from different regions of the country and testing it for zika.

He said that despite the result, the threat of zika was imminent in the country as it is transferred through aedes mosquito – which is common in the country.

“With the existence of aedes mosquitoes in Maldives, there is a chance it may be transferred from someone visiting the country who is infected with the virus,” said Afzal.

Biggest State-run hospital in the country, Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) has reported that it had started screening who come in with fever for the virus, given that three people who visited the country had tested positive for zika upon return to their home country.

Some common symptoms of the virus are; fever, red spots on the skin, bloodshot eyes, body aches, headaches, and pain on the joints.

However, none of the symptoms are seen on 80 percent of those who are infected with the zika virus.

Pregnant women infected with the virus are at risk of having their babies born with the birth defect microcephaly – where the skull isn’t properly formed leading disproportionately smaller heads.