CEBU, Philippines - A woman three months pregnant has been confirmed infected with the Zika virus following confirmatory testing.
Renan Cimafranca, head of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Department of Health, said this case was second to happen in Cebu City after the first was found last September.
The second case was found during the third week of January, although at that time they still had to conduct confirmatory testing.
The woman works at a private company. According to Cimafranca, she visited her gynecologist after she started suffering from rashes and the doctor told her to screen for Zika after they started to suspect it was.
“Gipaubos siya sa eksamin sa iyang doktor kay naa man siya rashes ug basin unya Zika ug nakonpirmar gyud kini sa confirmatory test,” he said.
Cimafranca said they will monitor the woman until she gives birth considering this is her first baby and until now there is no medicine to cure Zika.
Zika can cause head deformities among babies whose mothers are infected while they are still in the womb.
RESU will conduct an entomological survey in the home and workplace of the woman to assess the threat of mosquitoes that carry the virus.
Cimafranca urged the public to always safeguard against mosquitos. He said safeguards people take against dengue can also protect them from Zika.
"Kung unsa’y ilang gihimo nga pagpangandam alang sa paglikay sa dengue, mao usab kini ilang buhaton aron malikayan ang sakit nga Zika tungod kay susama lang og lamok ang makapaak niini,” he said. (FREEMAN)