Zika cases surge by almost 300pc in Thailand

Zika has surged to levels not seen since before the pandemic in Thailand, with more than 750 people infected and at least 13 babies born with birth defects in 2023. 

The pathogen has long circulated in the southeast Asian nation, but cases jumped by almost 300 per cent last year as the virus, carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito,  resurfaced following several years of limited transmission. 

According to government data, 758 people tested positive, including 33 pregnant women, compared to just 190 in 2022 and 63 in 2021.

While Zika is generally mild – symptoms include a rash, fever and joint pain, though many cases are asymptomatic – it is dangerous if contracted during pregnancy. 

As well as being linked to miscarriages and premature births, it can cause congenital malformations in newborns – including microcephaly, which can cause deformity and brain damage, as well as limb contractures, eye abnormalities and hearing loss. 

In Thailand, 13 babies were born with these health issues last year. 

Read more via The Telegraph