In a follow-up to a report Saturday of the first locally acquired Zika virus case in Singapore, The Ministry of Health (MOH) now puts the local transmission case tally at 41.

Aedes albopictus/FotoshopTofs
Aedes albopictus/FotoshopTofs

All the cases are residents or workers in the Aljunied Crescent/ Sims Drive area.  They are not known to have travelled to Zika-affected areas recently, and are thus likely to have been infected in Singapore.

This confirms that local transmission of Zika virus infection has taken place.  At this point, the community transmission appears to be localized within the Aljunied Crescent/ Sims Drive cluster.

34 have fully recovered. The other 7, who are still symptomatic and potentially infectious, are recovering at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Given that the Zika virus is spread by the Aedes mosquito vector, MOH cannot rule out further community transmission in Singapore, since some of those tested positive also live or work in other parts of Singapore.

At this point, these other areas of concern include Khatib Camp, Sembawang Drive and places where the construction workers live (Kranji Road, Joo Chiat Place, Senoko South Road, Toh Guan Road East and Lor 101 Changi).

MOH will continue to screen the close contacts of confirmed cases. MOH is also carrying out Zika testing on others living and working in the Aljunied Crescent/ Sims Drive area and other areas of concern who have symptoms of fever and rash.

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