Monday, October 31, 2016

Cambodia - Cambodian Zika Fears Prompt US Travel Warning

The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued a travel notice on Thursday advising pregnant women to consider putting off travel to Cambodia because of possible complications from the Zika virus, though it has been six years since an infection was reported in the country.

“CDC recommends pregnant women should consider postponing non-essential travel to Southeast Asia countries with reports of Zika virus infection from local transmission or related to travel to those countries,” the advisory says.

The notice also covers Thailand, Vietnam and eight other Asian countries. The mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted virus, which can cause severe birth defects, has spread throughout the region over the past two months.

Still, the advisory notes that the “level of this risk is unknown and likely lower than in areas where Zika virus is newly introduced and spreading widely.”

The Ministry of Health could not be reached for comment on Friday. Ministry spokesman Ly Sovann said last month that the country had not reported a new case since 2010, but was not taking any chances.

“The Ministry of Health has fumigated all over cities and provinces across the country,” he said. The ministry has also launched an educational campaign on the virus using vehicles mounted with loudspeakers and banners.




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