Zika virus in Singapore can evolve from the strain 60 years ago

The Zika virus strain in Singapore is likely to evolve from a Zika virus strain that once raged in Southeast Asia since the 60s of the 20th century.

The results were published on September 8 by the Ministry of Health and Singapore's Research, Science and Technology Agency after researchers analyzed Zika virus in two infected patients in Lion Island.

Spray mosquito repellent in Singapore.(Source: Getty Images).

This analysis will be publicized to serve the interests of the international scientific community, including the World Health Organization (WHO). However, there is no evidence that Zika virus outbreaks in Singapore are more dangerous or less dangerous than Zika virus spread in Latin America.

So far, Singapore has recorded more than 280 cases of Zika virus infection since the first case was discovered on August 27.

Zika virus spreads to people mainly when being burned by Aedes aegypti and can also be spread through sex. People infected with Zika have milder symptoms with dengue fever or typhus - most common when infected are fever, conjunctivitis, headache, muscle and joint pain, rash.

But when pregnant women infected with Zika virus can produce children with small head malformations - a characteristic defect of abnormal small brain and underdevelopment, or other health problems.

Scientists have not yet developed a vaccine to protect against Zika or special drugs.