Free medical check-ups provided for pregnant women in Zika virus-prone areas

BANGKOK, October 3 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Public Health is providing free medical check-ups for pregnant women living in areas where Zika virus cases have been reported. Thai Public Health Minister Dr. Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn told journalists of the policy on Monday, saying that pregnant women with suspicious symtoms, including rashes in their bodies, joint pains and red eyes, will be specially taken care and monitored. Dr. Piyasakol suggested as an index has shown the rising number of larvae of common house mosquitoes, the carrier of the Zika virus and Dengue fever, at temples and schools, local people should help eradicate breeding sources of common house mosquitoes in their areas. According to the public health minister, a screening of 10,000 suspected cases of Zika virus in the country lately, about 1,000 of whom were pregnant women and 39 of them were confirmed to have infected with the Zika virus, while nine of them have already given birth to newborns with healthy babies. The minister acknowledged that reports on two infants born to two Zika virus-infected mothers with Microcephaly, smaller heads than normal, were the situation in six months ago, urging the public not to, thus, be panic. (TNA)