DENPASAR: Bali’s Health Agency has stated that no Zika cases have been detected on the resort island, following a travel warning from the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over an increase in Zika cases reported among traveLlers returning from Bali.
“Despite the CDC’s Level 2 travel health notice over rising Zika cases among Bali traveLlers, routine surveillance data from health agencies and hospitals throughout Bali has found no confirmed cases on the island,” Bali Health Agency head I Nyoman Gede Anom said in a statement.
Gede Anom said the provincial health agency viewed the CDC warning as an important early-warning signal and would use the information to strengthen surveillance and preparedness against the mosquito-borne virus.
“We will increase vigilance and strengthen early detection across healthcare facilities, in coordination with the Health Ministry,” he said.
Health authorities will also strengthen surveillance at entry points, including airports and seaports, while urging healthcare workers across Bali to step up monitoring for symptoms associated with Zika infection, including fever, rash, red eyes, muscle and joint pain, weakness and headache.
The Health Ministry is also planning to expand laboratory capacity and strengthen surveillance for Zika and other mosquito-borne viruses, to ensure that any potential infections are detected and diagnosed quickly, he added.
Although no Zika cases have been detected in Bali so far, Gede Anom urged residents and travellers visiting the island to continue practising clean and healthy living habits.
He also called on the public to maintain cleanliness in and around their homes and communities to help prevent mosquito-borne diseases.
“People experiencing symptoms associated with Zika are advised to seek medical attention at the nearest healthcare facility for examination and appropriate treatment,” he said.
The CDC has issued a Level 2 travel health notice for Zika in Bali, following reports of Zika cases among travellers returning from the island.
In an update published on Aug 7, the CDC said, “Cases of Zika are being reported in returning travellers from Bali, Indonesia.
The CDC advises all travellers to Bali to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites and sexual transmission of the Zika virus during and after their trip.”
The CDC also warned pregnant travellers to avoid travelling to Bali and advised people who are planning to become pregnant to delay pregnancy after travelling to the resort island.
“If you are pregnant, you should avoid travelling to Bali. If travel is unavoidable, you should strictly follow Zika prevention recommendations,” the agency said. Zika virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, which are also known to transmit diseases such as dengue and chikungunya.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent Zika infection and no specific treatment for the disease.
Most people infected with Zika virus do not develop symptoms. When symptoms occur, they are usually mild and may include rash, fever, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise and headache.
These symptoms typically last between two and seven days. The virus poses a particular risk during pregnancy.
Zika infection can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus and can cause serious congenital complications, most notably microcephaly, a condition in which a baby is born with an abnormally small head.
Infection during pregnancy has also been associated with other congenital malformations, preterm birth and miscarriage.
Zika infection has also been linked to neurological complications in adults and children, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy and myelitis. Zika virus caused a major global outbreak in 2015 and 2016, with cases subsequently falling sharply from 2017 onwards.
However, transmission continues at low levels in parts of the Americas, Asia and Africa, with sporadic outbreaks reported in several countries.
As of 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported Zika virus transmission in 97 countries, including Indonesia. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
