Health ministry steps up Zika warnings for South Pacific

Public health warnings about the Zika virus pandemic affecting central and South America now include Tonga and Samoa as areas of active transmission.

While Zika-related diseases occur regularly but infrequently, it is only in the past few months that it has been linked to childbirth deformities (foetal microcephaly) in Brazil  and elsewhere in the Americas.

The World Health Organisation says the virus is spreading “explosively” and could affect up to four million people there by the end of the year.

The Ministry of Health says Tonga has reported one recent case and says the first Zika notifications in New Zealand for 2016 have been nine travellers who recently arrived from the South Pacific. Four have been in Tonga and four in Samoa, with one is still to be reported.

Four of them are female and, in two of those cases, the potential for pregnancy has been ruled out. Further tests are under way for the other two.

One of the travellers, a 47-year old Waikato man, has been admitted to Waikato Hospital with symptoms indicative of Guillain-Barre, a condition also caused by the Zika virus can result in paralysis. All the other eight individuals have recovered.

Chief medical officer Don Mackie says there were 57 Zika notifications in 2014 and last year there were nine (provisionally).
“We will be providing advice to incoming travellers and the ministry is updating its information for health professionals. There remains robust mosquito surveillance and monitoring at our borders,” Dr Mackie says.

Health messaging advising travellers on what they should do if they get sick within a month of returning to New Zealand is displayed at all international airports and available in a health advice card format.

“Emerging diseases do arise from time to time, and their newness often means that their public prominence may be out of proportion to the actual risk they pose,” Dr Mackie says.

“However, until more is known, the Ministry of Health continues to recommend that women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the near term consider delaying travel to areas with Zika virus present.

“If travelling in Zika infected areas, women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant should consult with their healthcare provider. All travellers should take appropriate precautions to avoid mosquito bites.”

Dr Mackie said as an additional precaution, the ministry was also recommending that women returning from Zika-infected areas who might wish to become pregnant should use an effective contraceptive for a period of three weeks after their return.