"In Indonesia, the Zika virus strain has not been identified precisely to whether it is the same as that which has spread in the Latin American community or is a different kind of virus," Wibawa noted.Batam, Riau (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore cannot as yet confirm if any of its citizens has been affected by Zika following the Singapore governments announcement that the virus has been in circulation.
"We have not received any official information," Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore, Ngurah Swajaya, said here on Wednesday.
Based on information so far most of the affected people are construction workers and generally they are citizens of Bangladesh, he said.
"Generally they are from Bangladesh but we will keep monitoring it," he said on the sidelines of the opening of an integrated migrant workers service offices in Batam and Tanjungpinang.
Ambassador Ngurah Swajaya assured if any Indonesian citizen was found being afflicted by the virus the embassy would provide assistance.
"The Embassy has coordinated with the central government in connection with the spread of the virus in Singapore. The Indonesian government can guard against the spread of Zika virus by ensuring screening at ports and airports," the ambassador added.
Meanwhile, the Riau Health Department has taken certain anticipatory measures to prevent the spread of Zika.
The health department, in cooperation with vessel owners, will be distributing health alert cards to all passengers from Singapore to Batam.
On the yellow card, the passengers would be asked certain questions about any diseases they may have and the countries they visited recently.
After arriving at the port in Indonesia, the officers will take down the passengers body temperature.
Among the symptoms of Zika virus attack are fever, headache, joint pain, at times accompanied by a rash, red rash or inflammation of the eye.
If the passengers suffered any of these symptoms, they would be tested in the health office for the virus.
Singapore has confirmed 41 cases of locally transmitted Zika virus, mostly among foreign construction workers, and said it expected more cases to be identified, according to Reuters.
All but seven of those infected had fully recovered, the Health Ministry and the National Environment Agency informed in a statement on Sunday. These seven remain in hospital.
The chairman of the Microbiology Department at Gajah Mada Universitys Faculty of Medicine in Yogyakarta, earlier counseled that the public should not to worry about Zika virus but should remain vigilant.
"In Indonesia, the Zika virus strain has not been identified precisely to whether it is the same as that which has spread in the Latin American community or is a different kind of virus," Wibawa noted.
In addition, he remarked that it should be reconfirmed whether the incidence of microcephaly in Colombia was really caused by the Zika virus.
"The Zika virus found in Indonesia could be different from that found in Latin America, and therefore, the people need not worry about the virus. Besides, the clinical manifestations due to the Zika virus attack are not as severe as in case of dengue fever, which can lead to death," he pointed out.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
