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 "We confirmed 33 new cases last week and have detected the virus in
two further provinces," Ministry of Public Health spokesman
Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai told Reuters.
Suwannachai said health campaigns warning travelers about Zika have
been increased as many Thais flock to the capital Bangkok to take
part in national mourning activities for King Bhumibol Adulyadej,
who died on Oct. 13.
"This is a period of movement with people coming to the capital from
the provinces to take part in various activities," he said. "We have
to remind them that Zika is a silent disease and some people won't
have symptoms."
Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia in September to
confirm Zika-linked microcephaly, a condition that results in babies
being born with small heads, and has one of the highest number of
Zika cases in the region.
Other parts of Southeast Asia have reported dozens of cases of Zika,
including city state Singapore where 450 cases have been reported in
2016.
Thailand has reported more than 680 cases of Zika since January but
its Department of Disease Control has said the virus is manageable.
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In neighboring Myanmar, a pregnant foreign woman was diagnosed with
the mosquito-borne virus last month - the first case confirmed in
the country.
Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause
microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are
undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities.
The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light in
Brazil, which has confirmed more than 1,900 cases of microcephaly.
(Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by)
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