The Provincial Health Office (PHO) immediately boosted its information drive on the Zika virus following reports on the growing number of people in the country who have fell ill due to the disease.

Provincial health officer Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot said it had launch a campaign to educate on the disease, particularly regarding prevention and symptoms.

Although no Zika cases have been reported in Bohol, the disease had already spread in neighboring provinces Cebu and Iloilo.

According to Cabagnot, that the disease can be transmitted through a bite from an infected mosquito and sexual intercourse.

It may also be transmitted through blood transfusion while it is also possible that the Zika virus could be passed from mother to fetus during pregnancy.

Like dengue, symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pains, red eyes and rashes, Cabagnot said.

Zika is not a fatal disease. However, Zika-infected pregnant women may give birth to babies with microcephaly, a rare birth defect that could lead to serious developmental problems.

It has also been linked to other severe fetal brain abnormalities, such as developing abnormally small brains and heads.

Last week, a 22-year-old woman in Cebu was reported to have been infected with Zika, the first case of its kind in the Philippines.

Health officials noted that the baby remains to be healthy and without apparent abnormalities five months into the woman’s pregnancy.

Cabagnot said that there is no vaccine against Zika as he reminded the public to focus on other prevention means such as cleaning up surroundings and destroying possible mosquito-breeding sites.

Accorrding to the Department of Health, there have been 12 reported cases of Zika accorss the country.

The DOH also noted that of the 12 patients, 8 are female while their ages range from 9 to 55 years old. (Rey Tutas)

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