PM Lee warns region to prepare for extended campaign against Zika

VIENTIANE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday (Sept 6) that South-east Asia should prepare for a “possibly extended campaign” against Zika, while taking steps to ensure that the regional economy is not affected.

“The Aedes mosquito is endemic in our region and Zika may also be endemic in our region, just like dengue,” said Mr Lee during the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) Summit plenary session in Vientiane. 

“We should prepare ourselves for a possibly extended campaign against Zika but ensure that the region remains open and connected for business and trade.”

He said Singapore will work with countries in the region, as well as the international community, to combat the disease, which has affected some 275 people in the Republic. 

Mr Lee noted that 72 countries and territories have reported evidence of mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission since 2007, including some in South-east Asia.

“Since the recent detection of locally transmitted cases in Singapore, we have undertaken necessary immediate measures, for example, stepping up testing, intensifying mosquito control, expanding public education, and advising on extra precautions for pregnant woman,” said Mr Lee, adding that the Republic’s efforts have been affirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The WHO had stated that Zika transmission is present in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Malaysia has also announced Zika cases, including a man from Sabah who died over the weekend because of health complications. 

In Thailand, the public health authorities have stepped up surveillance on the virus after reporting nearly 120 cases so far this year, compared with less than 10 annually previously. 

Regional health experts believe Zika is significantly under-reported in South-east Asia as the authorities fail to conduct adequate screening and because of its usually mild symptoms.

A senior Indonesian official said this week that it cannot afford to thoroughly check for a possible Zika outbreak as it must focus on fighting dengue.

“At the moment, we cannot go out there and test everybody or every suspected case for Zika because it is too costly,” said Mr Muhamad Subuh, director-general for disease prevention and control at Indonesia’s Health Ministry. “There are other priorities, like dengue fever, which is more prevalent and more dangerous, and we have to allocate our resources accordingly.”

Mr Subuh said the ministry was actively monitoring for Zika, but experts said the authorities would struggle to identify patients as few hospitals offered Zika testing, and those that did expected patients to pay more than US$150 (S$203) for a test, putting it out of reach of many ordinary Indonesians.

“The biggest challenge right now is that we may miss Zika-infected patients because of the lack of facilities and testing,” said Dr Tedjo Sasmono, a scientist at Jakarta’s Eijkman Institute, one of only two facilities in Indonesia capable of diagnosing Zika. WITH AGENCIES