KUALA LUMPUR: Two new Zika virus infection cases were detected involving two sisters in Miri, Sarawak and Setapak here, raising the total of cases to six so far.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the fifth case involved a 35-year-old woman in Miri, who was now two months pregnant, and used to work in Singapore.
The last time the woman visited Singapore was between July 24 and 29 for six days, he said in a statement here today.
Dr Subramaniam said the woman was taken to a private clinic in Miri on Sept 6 after suffering from a prolonged fever, flu and sore throat.
“The Zika Virus test results, based on samples sent to a private laboratory in Kuala Lumpur and to the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) showed positive,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam said the woman was admitted to a hospital in Miri on Sunday for further examination.
However, all six family members of the patient who lived in the same house did not show any symptoms or signs of Zika infection.
On the other hand, her 39-year-old sister who lives in Setapak was hospitalised in Kuala Lumpur on the same day (Sunday).
Dr Subramaniam said the elder sister had shown symptoms and had a history of visiting her sister in Miri on Aug 26, before leaving for Kuala Lumpur on Sept 6.
Following the two cases, he said preventive action and vector control had been implemented in the residential areas of the two patients, including eradicating Aedes breeding grounds, performing ‘larvasiding’, fogging and educating other residents about the dangers of the Zika Virus. -- Bernama