Amidst Zika outbreak UAE ministry asks to report birth defects

(Representational image)

Ministry of Health and Prevention has requested the health authorities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as well as the healthcare providers in the country to report any case of newborn babies with small heads or birth defects.
The move is aimed to investigate and intercept any case infected with Zika virus in order to stand on how possible a pregnant mother contracts the virus during pregnancy cycle. Dr. Hussain Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary of MoH for Health Centers and Clinics, said that the ministry is currently conducting a string of preventive and investigative measures to handle any case suspected to be contracting the Zika virus, namely newborn babies and mothers.
Neonates and mothers, he said, get screened for the virus and any birth deformities for the baby. As part of the investigative and preventive measures taken regarding the Zika virus, the mother is asked whether she travel to any of the countries, where infected cases appeared, during her pregnancy cycle or not.
She is also asked if she suffered any symptoms of the virus at a previous time, and reviews the mother's medical (patient) history.
Dr. Al Ranad said no case of babies born with small heads have been encountered so far in the country, clarifying that a small head is the major sign indicating getting infected with the Zika virus. He said the UAE has not recorded any Zika virus case either at any health providers or at the UAE borders.
"We are applying and adopting the epidemic monitoring system, which is deemed of the best prevention schemes to handle the contagious diseases. The virus is transmitted through a specific kind of mosquitoes, which are not available in the country, Al Ranad said.

• Abu Dhabi
• Dubai