Fiji records 34 Zika cases

SUVA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Fiji has recorded 34 Zika cases from January to Aug. 3 this year, Health Minister Jone Usamate said Thursday.

Aside from the Zika cases, 623 dengue fever cases, 41 chikungunya cases, 225 typhoid cases as well as 430 leptospirosis cases have been recorded during the same period in the Pacific island country, according to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

"I urge you all to keep your surroundings clean and free of any such containers or receptacles. The recent Fight the Bite, Clean up Fiji campaign helped reduce the number of mosquito-borne diseases. With a proactive approach, we can continue to keep these numbers low," said Usamate.

The health minister also urged members of the public to refrain from swimming or wading in flooded waters to avoid waterborne illnesses.

Though rarely fatal, Zika presents a risk for pregnant women and their unborn babies as the causal relationship between microcephaly and other severe foetal brain defects has been confirmed by scientists.

Symptoms of infection of the Zika virus include fever, joint pain, rash, conjunctivitis, headache and muscle pain.