Thailand is considering testing all pregnant women for Zika, the health ministry said on Monday, following confirmation last week of its first known cases of microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size, linked to the Zika virus.
The two confirmed cases of microcephaly were the first in Southeast Asia linked to mosquito-borne Zika, which has been spreading in the region after outbreaks in the Americas.
“The health minister has asked us to study whether this is necessary and cost-effective,” health ministry permanent secretary Sophon Mekthon told Reuters, referring to free tests for all pregnant women.
