India confirms 13 of its nationals test positive for Zika in Singapore

Report comes after an outbreak of the disease that at first affected three dozen workers on a construction site

India's foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday that 13 of its nationals had tested positive for the Zika virus in Singapore, after an outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease that at first affected three dozen workers on a construction site.

"According to our mission in Singapore 13 Indian nationals have tested positive for Zika in Singapore," Vikas Swarup, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said in response to a Reuters inquiry.



United States health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies.

Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease, has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is being viewed as an emerging threat due to its similarities with other mosquito-borne diseases, mainly dengue and chikungunya.



In May 2015 an epidemic in Brazil was reported and the virus has since spread to over 30 countries. In March this year, a leading member of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network warned that mosquitoes carrying the virus have been found in Pakistan.