Iloilo City registers 7 Zika cases

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The number of Zika patients in Iloilo City rose to seven with four additional positive tests that were confirmed by the Department of Health (DOH), Tuesday.

The first Zika case from this city was a 45-year old female non pregnant from Iloilo City and two others who were living in the same household with the former.

DOH-6 regional director Marlyn Convocar said that their office is yet to receive further information about the four new cases in this city. A top official from DOH central office will be in this city on Wednesday to give updates about Zika.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial, in a press release, said that the new cases had no history of travel to other countries within a month preceding onset of illness.

“All presented with skin rashes accompanied by joint pains or fever or conjunctivitis and are expected to have recovered by this time,” she said.

DOH is now strengthening its efforts to prevent control ZIKA spread through the 4S Strategy which stands for Search and destroy mosquito breeding places, Self-protection measures like using insect repellent and mosquito bed nets especially at day time, as well as the use of condom for protection against this sexually transmitted infection, Seek early consultation for skin rashes and fever, joint pain or red eyes and Say Yes to fogging when there is an impending outbreak.

The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) assured enough reagents to carry out tests for over 1,000 suspected cases. Likewise, the DOH has ample supply of mosquito nets and insecticides available for distribution to the local government units. [via PNA]

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