India confirms 13 of its nationals have tested positive for Zika in Singapore

A worker fogs a community playground at a new Zika cluster area in Singapore on Thursday.

Thirteen Indians have tested positive for Zika virus in Singapore as the city-state grapples with rising number of the mosquito-borne disease.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Indian Embassy in Singapore has reported that 13 Indians have been affected by Zika virus.

“As per our Embassy in Singapore, 13 Indian nationals have tested positive for Zika in that country,” he said.

There has been a surge in number of people affected by Zika virus in Singapore, particularly those working in construction sites.

The Indian High Commission there said the Singapore government had informed it about the Indians being infected with Zika virus on Wednesday.

Foreign nationals including six Bangladeshis and 21 Chinese are also among the 115 confirmed Zika cases in Singapore.

In February, the World Health Organisation had declared Zika a public health emergency after women affected by it had given birth to children with microcephaly, a birth defect with small head size.