PUBLISHED : 28 Jul 2023 at 06:46
A total of 110 people have been infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus since January, and the number of infections has been rising since May, according to the Public Health Ministry.
From Jan 1 to July 19, there were 110 reported cases in 20 provinces, Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary for public health, said yesterday. The biggest number, or 30 cases, was reported in June, he added.
This month the virus has infected six pregnant women in five provinces — two in Chanthaburi and one each in Phitsanulok, Rayong, Samut Songkhram and Trat.
The disease may pose a greater risk of miscarriages or microcephaly, a birth defect that leads to smaller-than-average head sizes in babies, Dr Opas warned.
Health officials closely followed up on 241 pregnant women infected with the Zika virus between 2016 and last year.
Among them, four experienced miscarriages, three gave birth to babies with microcephaly, all testing positive for the Zika virus.
The officials also followed up on the development of children in 77 cases for two years, and four cases were found to have abnormal development, he said.