Health Authorities Confident of Australia’s Control Measures Against Zika Virus

Despite the Zika outbreak in Southeast Asia,�local infectious disease experts remain confident of Australia’s border control measures against the mosquito-borne�virus.

Health authorities around the world have been on high alert due to the effects of Zika virus especially on pregnant women, but�Dr Grant Hill-Cawthorne, an infectious disease expert at the University of Sydney, says he is confident that there will be no case of Zika-related microcephaly any time soon in Australia.

He says the country has only reported Zika cases from returning travellers, and if pregnant women follow the advice not to travel, this reduces the risk further. He added that it would only become a significant risk if there is�local transmission of the virus, which the country hasn’t yet.

“The Queensland health authorities are particularly good at containing local outbreaks of dengue virus, so I would be surprised to see widespread local transmission – and I think this is the most likely way we would see microcephaly cases,” Dr�Hill-Cawthorne told AAP.

Pregnant women should avoid travelling to countries where the risk of Zika virus is high.�Babies born with this disease have underdeveloped heads that can lead to�major issues throughout the child’s life.

The Australian Department of Health advises pregnant women or those planning a pregnancy to defer all non-essential travel to Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines.

At the start of September, Singapore had reported 215 cases of Zika infections, while Thailand – a popular tourist destination for Australians – had confirmed 349 Zika cases since January.

Pregnant women are also advised to�avoid unprotected sex with a partner who has been to a high or moderate risk country for the duration of the pregnancy.

Women should also defer pregnancy for eight weeks upon their return home.

Both men and women who have visited the said countries should avoid unprotected sex for at least eight weeks upon return. However, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US recommends this be extended to six months.

Source:�Essentialbaby.com.au

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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