A city worker fumigates the area to control the spread of mosquitoes at a temple in Bangkok, Thailand (Source: Reuters)
Bangkok (VNA) ꦦ– The Thai health ministry said on October 3 that it is considering providing free-of-charge tests for all pregnant women for Zika, following the confirmation last week of its first detected cases of microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size linked to Zika.
Sophon Mekthon, the health ministry’s permanent secretary, said the country checks pregnant women in Zika-affected areas only with about 1,000 pregnant women tested so far.
A Zika test costs 2,000 THB (58 USD) but repeat tests are often needed, he added.
Two cases of microcephaly confirmed by the country’s health ministry on September 30 are the first in Southeast Asia linked to Zika.
Currently, many countries in Southeast Asia reported Zika cases and Thailand recorded the highest infections with 349 cases, including 25 pregnant women.
Heath authorities in the region said they are stepping up monitoring, but there has been little testing.
The Zika virus is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Sexually transmission of the virus has been also reported.
People with Zika virus disease often display symptoms, including mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly in newborn babies or other health problems.
The connection between Zika and microcephaly was firstly discovered in Brazil last year.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel warning, advising pregnant women to consider postponing unimportant travel to 11 Southeast Asian countries.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health on September 30 confirmed that the Zika virus had caused two cases of microcephaly - a condition that results in babies being born with small heads.
The confirmation of two Zika-linked microcephaly cases in Thailand is not likely to scare off large numbers of Chinese tourists due to jet in for holidays next week, industry operators said.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
A city worker fumigates the area to control the spread of mosquitoes at a temple in Bangkok, Thailand (Source: Reuters)
