Myanmar launches Zika virus awareness campaign



YANGOON: -- Following a confirmed case of the mosquito-borne Zika virus in Thailand last week, Myanmar’s Ministry of Health is launching a public awareness campaign, The Myanmar Times reported.

At the same time, the World Health Organization has warned that the global outbreak, which began in Brazil, is spreading “explosively”, and pegged Asia as vulnerable to the disease, for which there is no cure and no vaccine.

There have been no confirmed cases in Myanmar.

According to a permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health, officials met last week to discuss Zika virus control and prevention policies.

Dr Soe Lwin Nyein, a director of public health, said the “necessary precautionary and preventative measures” will be taken, as with previous viral outbreaks such as MERS and avian flu.

He added government will print an official warning about the Zika virus in the state newspapers, and hold awareness campaigns across the country.

Daw Thandar, another director in the public health department, told The Myanmar Times the ministry will be “monitoring” for Zika, but has not seen any cases yet.

Thailand and Indonesia have both announced confirmed cases, but urged the public to stay calm as neither scenario is an outbreak.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/zika-mosquitoes_afp-wpcf_728x413.jpg


-- Thai PBS 2016-02-08

"Myanmar launches Zika virus awareness campaign"

At least that is more than Thailand have done....

I asked a few Thai friends about zika , and their reply:

"is that a new drink?"