Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — A 16-year-old pregnant woman from Las Piñas is the latest victim of Zika virus, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
Health Spokesperson Dr. Eric Tayag said the woman is now on her 32nd week of pregnancy.
“She was detected to have symptoms compatible with Zika, mainly skin rashes and fever, and she tested positive. She’s at home and we’re contacting her doctors because the information we had was there was no ultrasound done [on the woman] ,” Tayag said in an interview with CNN Philippines on Thursday.
Tayag said they are also closely monitoring the community to check if there are more cases in the area. He added DOH is seeking the help of local government units in their “very serious campaign against these mosquitoes”.
“For every case that’s reported and confirmed by the RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine), we send teams to their (the community’s) residences, and we conduct investigations to look for more cases, if there are any, and if there are individuals who have similar symptoms there tested,” he said.
Tayag said the pregnant woman from Las Piñas will give birth two weeks earlier than the pregnant woman from Cebu, who was also reported to have contracted Zika in September.
Related: DOH: Cebu Zika victim is pregnant
To date, there are no microcephaly cases in the Philippines linked to Zika – but the Health Department is not taking chances.
“We are also looking at hospital records for babies born with this particular defect and do invesitgations if there are clues that these are related or associated with Zika,” Tayag said.
As of November 13, DOH said there are 33 recorded cases of Zika in the country.
“We expect additional cases in the coming weeks and even next year because Zika is endemic in the country and we have the mosquitoes that transmit the virus,” Tayag said. “It’s the same mosquito that transmits dengue virus and chikungunya virus.”
Tayag called on the public to use insect repellants, keep their surroundings clean, and seek early consulatation once Zika symptoms appear.
Related: DOH confirms 10 new Zika cases
