KUCHING: Tests are currently being conducted by the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) to determine the Zika virus strain that has infected two sisters.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said the two cases involved a 35-year-old pregnant woman in Miri and her 39-year-old sister living in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.
“These are the fifth and sixth cases of known Zika virus infection in our country, and we are currently conducting tests to determine whether it is a local strain or otherwise.
“This is because the fifth case, which is the pregnant woman from Miri, went to Singapore in July. The time is too long for her to be infected now, unless her symptoms appeared late,” he told reporters here before launching a dermatology conference on Thursday.
Dr Subramaniam said the Health Department in Miri had inspected the housing area of the younger sister and found that it has high potential as an Aedes mosquito breeding ground.
“We were informed that her sister visited her in August and returned to Kuala Lumpur in September. This could be the contributing factor of the virus spread,” he said.
He stressed that the Ministry of Health was stepping up cleaning efforts with the cooperation of related government agencies.
“We are asking agencies like Rela, Civil Defence Force (APM) and even the army and the police to support community cleaning activities.
“With such support, we hope to reduce the spread of the Zika virus as well as to reduce the biggest problem—dengue,” he said, adding that thermal scanners at airports had limited effect as 80 per cent of Zika carriers do not show symptoms.
Aedes mosquitoes are the carrier of the Zika virus as well as the Dengue virus.
On discussions between the ministry and the National Fatwa Council, Dr Subramaniam said they would decide at the end of this month whether there was a need for pregnant women infected with Zika to abort their babies.
He said the ministry would offer medical and scientific input, while the council would use the information to make a decision from a religious perspective.
Pregnant women infected with Zika face the risk of giving birth to babies with microcephaly, a birth defect that causes the babies’ heads to be smaller than normal.