This year's first Zika cluster reported at Simon Place
Two people in the same household at Simon Place, near Kovan in Hougang, have been confirmed to be infected with the Zika virus.
The Health Ministry yesterday declined to reveal details of the two victims, but The Straits Times understands that neither is pregnant.
The cluster is the first reported this year. There have been six other isolated cases this year.
A cluster is formed when at least two cases occur within 14 days and are located within 150m of each other.
Residents are urged to remain vigilant in detecting mosquito breeding spots.
Most people infected with Zika do not develop symptoms, so it may take some time before the virus is detected.
Zika is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also carries diseases such as dengue and chikungunya.
Singapore's first locally-transmitted case was detected in August, while the last cluster, in Bedok North Street 3, was closed in December.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) started vector control operations and outreach activities at the Simon Place cluster on Tuesday.
As of yesterday, NEA had inspected about 120 out of some 400 premises in Simon Place for mosquito breeding. It also conducted ground checks in the area.
Seven breeding habitats in houses and three in other premises were detected and destroyed. - THE STRAITS TIMES
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