TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Zika virus is causing a stir around the world. Health Minister Nila Moeloek has issued a travel advisory on Latin American countries. The government recommends that Indonesians, especially women, refrain from unnecessary travel to nations affected by the Zika outbreak. Brazil, Bolivia, Puerto Rico and Suriname are on the watch list.

The minister is right to issue this cautionary note. Although there is no need for excessive panic, we should be very alert to the presence of Zika. The virus, which like dengue fever is spread by bites from the Aedes aegypti mosquito, seems to be more worrying than initially believed. Last year, more than a million people were infected in Brazil. The current outbreak led to the WHO declaring a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on February 1.

Even more seriously, in Brazil last year, 4,000 babies were reportedly born with microcephaly deformity. This is a consequence of the brain failing to develop properly, resulting in babies being born with small heads. Experts have yet to confirm that this was caused by the Zika virus, but in the interest of safety, pregnant women have been advised not to travel to areas afflicted by the Zika virus. If travel is necessary, preventive measures should be taken, such as wearing long sleeves, using mosquito repellant and sleeping under nets. Do not give mosquitos a chance to bite.

Zika is not a newcomer. A member of the flavivirus family, it was first reported in a monkey in Uganda in 1947. There have been several outbreaks in Polynesia, and in 1977, Zika came to Indonesia, affecting people in Central Java. These cases were on a small scale, and did not lead to much anxiety.

It was only in 2015 that a series of mutations made Zika more aggressive. There was a relatively large outbreak in Brazil. A million people came down with fever at almost the same time, throwing the country into confusion.

Without no wish to undermine the seriousness of this threat, in theory Zika is less dangerous than dengue fever. Patients suffering from Zika do not suffer a decline in the level of thrombocytes like with dengue patients. This means recovery is easier. But this should not make us drop our guard. Mutations in the virus could occur, and it could develop into a more dangerous problem.

Clean surroundings with good drainage limit the ability of the Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses to spread. However, this nation has too many villages with clogged ditches, water storage jars, rainwater ponds and buckets and pots left to gather water. Sadly, this means that Zika can strike here at any time.

So far, Zika has only been reported in Jambi. Therefore, before it is too late, the government must not stop at merely issuing a travel advisory. The people must be mobilized to prevent Zika and dengue fever. The Indonesian-language mantra of 3M meaning drains, lids and use old items, to prevent their becoming mosquito nests, is still effective, and must not be ignored.

One hundred mosquitoes can hatch from just one drop of water in a puddle. Letting standing water become a breeding place for mosquitoes is like opening the door wide and saying, 'Welcome Zika'. (*)